ncRNA-mediated bistability in the synthesis of hundreds of distinct mRNAs and proteins

The kinetics of gene expression can be bistable due to the feedback between the mRNA and protein formation. In eukaryotic cells, the interplay between mRNAs and proteins can be influenced by non-coding RNAs. Some of these RNAs, e.g., microRNAs, may target hundreds of distinct mRNAs. The model presented here shows how a non-coding RNA can be used as a mediator in order to involve numerous mRNAs and proteins into a bistable network.