Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Reviews Vol. 1 (4), pp. 121-127,December 2006
ISSN 1538-2273 © 2006 Academic Journals

Mini Review
 

External, extrinsic and intrinsic noise in cellular systems: analogies andimplications for protein synthesis

Pratap R. Patnaik

Institute of Microbial Technology Sector 39-A, Chandigarh-160036, India. IMTECH Communication no.034/2006  E-mail: pratap@imtech.res.in.

Accepted 20 November, 2006.

Multicellular systems, typically in bioreactors with one or more feed streams, are under the influences of intrinsic (intra-cellular), extrinsic (inter-cellular) and external (environmental) noise. Of these, intrinsic noise is relatively less important in determining protein synthesis and reactor behavior. Although extrinsic noise and external noise have different origins and controls, they have similarities and interactions. The interactions make it important to control both kinds of noise optimally to enhance the gene expression of a desired protein, and the similarities enable this to be done. These aspects are discussed to evolve a comprehensive noise filtering and control strategy for large bioreactors operated in realistic (noisy) environments.