Quantitative Model for Gal4p-Mediated Expression of the Galactose/ Melibiose Regulon in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A mathematical model based on equilibrium binding between Gal4p and its specific DNA binding site has been developed. A model for GAL gene expression solely due to cooperativity, as a function of Gal4p concentration, has been developed for a gal80 mutant. The above model was extended to include other known regulatory molecules, namely GalSOp and Gal3p. Parameters determined from the above simulation were then used to represent a physiological status of gene expression in response to glucose (in terms of Gal4p concentration) and galactose in a wild-type strain. We demonstrate that in a wild-type strain glucose repression is more stringent due to cooperativity and autogenous regulation, while the induction response to galactose is only through autogenous regulation. The biological significance of autogenous regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is discussed vis-a-vis the lactose operon of Escherichia coli.