Phenotypic Nonspecificity as the Result of Limited Specificity of Transcription Factor Function

Figure 4

The model for default repression. Transcription activity is the rate of transcription initiation of a gene and RNAP recruitment activity is related to the amount of time RNAP is around the start of transcription of a gene (a and b). In (a) RNAP recruitment activity is assumed to be continuous, but in (b) it is assumed that each TF bound contributes an integer amount of TF recruitment activity that interacts cooperatively to recruit RNAP. It is assumed for simplicity of representation that when three TFs are bound, transcription is at its maximum. The three habits of the gene expression are shown as three interchangeable states (c). When one TF is bound transcription does not occur because of activator insufficiency. When three TFs are bound they cooperate and transcription occurs at the maximum rate. When four TFs are bound RNAP is strongly recruited to the promoter and does not engage in transcription and the gene is in default repression.

(a)

(b)

(c)