MicroRNA和转录因子合作调控基因网络的动力学分析

近十年来，Science两次把microRNA（miRNA）生物功能的发现作为国际上重大科学发现。MiRNA在基因调控中的作用是其中关注的热点之一。MiRNA和转录因子在基因调控网络中存在着广泛的合作调控，这种合作调控在多种生物过程中起着关键的作用。然而，这种合作调控的动力学机制尚不清楚，本项目拟在我们原有工作基础上，用动力学和控制理论系统研究miRNA和转录因子合作调控基因网络的动力学机制，包括miRNA和转录因子的合作调控在基因网络模体中的调控机制，时滞对合作调控的动力学影响以及这种合作调控在诱导多功能干细胞和促进干细胞分化方面所采用的动力学机制和具有的独特功能。所得理论结果将用来合理解释相应的基因调控机制和生物功能。这项工作开创了用动力学和控制方法研究miRNA和转录因子合作调控的思想和方法，将在这一新的重要科学领域做出有意义的研究。

The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs) with biological function was awarded twice by Science Journal as the most important scientific breakthrough in the world. The role of miRNAs has become one of the hotspots in the field of gene regulatory network research. The combinatorial regulation of miRNAs and transcription factors exists widely in gene regulatory network. And the combinatorial regulation plays a key role in a wide variety of biological processes and different diseases. However, the dynamical mechanism of this combinatorial regulation is not yet clear. Based on our present work foundation, by adopting dynamic and control theory, this project intends to research the dynamical mechanism of this combinatorial regulation of miRNAs and transcription factors in gene regulatory network. The research will include the regulatory mechanism of combinatorial regulation involving miRNAs and transcription factors in gene regulatory network motifs, the effects of time delay on these motifs, and dynamic mechanism or special function of combinatorial regulation involving miRNAs and transcription factors in the process of inducing pluripotent stem cell and promoting stem cell differentiation. The obtained theoretical results will be used to explain logically the corresponding gene regulation mechanism and biological function. By doing so, it will open and provide a new idea or method to research the combinatorial regulation of miRNAs and transcription factors using dynamic and control theory. Meanwhile, it will be valuable on this new important science field.