GenEvo 1 Genetic Switch

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My_photo_2 Sugat Dabholkar (Author)

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Part of project 'GenEvo Curriculum'
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globals [
  ; Simulation constants
  cell-width                 ; the width of the cell
  cell-height                ; the height of the cell
  cell-color                 ; the color of the cell
  cell-wall                  ; a patch set that contains the patches on the cell wall
  cell-patches               ; a patch set that contains the patches inside the cell
  promoter                   ; a patch set that contains the patches that represent the promoter
  operator                   ; a patch set that contains the patches that represent the operator
  terminator                 ; a patch set that contains the patches that represent the terminator
  lacZ-production-num        ; number of lacZ proteins produced per transcription event
  lacZ-production-cost       ; cost incurred by the cell to produce one molecule of lacZ protein
  lacY-production-num        ; number of lacZ proteins produced per transcription event
  lacY-production-cost       ; cost incurred by the cell to produce one molecule of lacZ protein
  initial-energy             ; initial energy of the cell
  lactose-upper-limit        ; a variable to set the lactose quantity in the external environment

  ; Global (cellular) properties
  energy                     ; keeps track of the energy of the cell
  division-number            ; a counter to keep track of number of cell division events
  inhibited?                 ; boolean for whether or not the operator is inhibited
]

breed [ lacIs lacI ]         ; the lacI repressor protein (purple proteins)
breed [ lacZs lacZ ]         ; the lacZ beta-galactosidase enzyme (light red proteins)
breed [ lacYs lacY ]         ; the lacY lactose permease enzyme (light red rectangles)
breed [ RNAPs RNAP ]         ; RNA Polymerase (brown proteins) that binds to the DNA and synthesizes mRNA
breed [ lactoses lactose ]   ; lactose molecules (grey)

lacIs-own [
  partner                ; if it's a lacI complex, then partner is a lactose molecule
  bound-to-operator?     ; a boolean to track if a lacI is bound to DNA as an inhibitor of transcription
]

RNAPs-own [
  on-DNA?     ; a boolean to track if a RNAP is transcribing the DNA
]

lactoses-own [
  partner     ; a partner is a lacI molecule with which an ONPG forms a complex
  inside?     ; a boolean to track if a lactose molecule is inside the cell
]

to setup
  clear-all

  ; Set all of our constant global variables
  set cell-width 44
  set cell-height 16
  set initial-energy 1000
  set lactose-upper-limit 1500
  set lacZ-production-num 5
  set lacZ-production-cost 10
  set lacY-production-num 5
  set lacY-production-cost 10

  ; Initialize all of our global property variables
  set energy initial-energy
  set division-number 0
  set inhibited? false

  draw-cell

  ; add the necessary proteins to the cell
  create-lacIs lacI-number [
    set bound-to-operator? false
    set partner nobody
    set-shape
    gen-xy-inside-inside
  ]
  create-RNAPs RNAP-number [
    set on-DNA? false
    set-shape
    gen-xy-inside-inside
  ]

  if not LevelSpace? [
    if lactose? [ update-lactose lactose-upper-limit ] ; add lactose if ON
  ]
  reset-ticks
end 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  Runtime Procedures ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

to go
  go-lacI
  go-lacY
  go-lacZ
  go-lactose
  go-RNAP

  ; if glucose? is ON, we get a steady stream of energy
  if glucose? [ set energy energy + 10 ]
  ; but it takes energy to maintain all of the proteins so consume some energy
  set energy (energy - (count RNAPs + count lacIs + count lacZs) / 100 )

  ; If we're in LevelSpace, then let the population model control division and lactose distribution.
  if not LevelSpace? [
    if lactose? [ update-lactose lactose-upper-limit ]

    ; if we've doubled our energy, then divide
    if (energy > 2 * initial-energy) [ divide-cell ]

    ; if we're out of energy, die
    if (energy < 0) [ user-message "The cell has run out of energy. It's dead!" stop ]
  ]
  tick
end 

; controls the random movement of all turtles. If you're headed towards the cell wall, just turn until you're not

to move ; turtle procedure
  rt random-float 360
  while [ (member? patch-ahead 1 cell-wall) or (member? patch-ahead 2 cell-wall) ] [ rt random-float 360 ]
  forward 1
end 

; procedure for movement and molecular interactions of lacI proteins

to go-lacI
  ; a lacI bound with the operator might dissociate from the operator
  ask lacIs with [ bound-to-operator? ] [
    if (random-float 1 < lacI-bond-leakage) [
      dissociate-from-operator
    ]
  ]

  ; lacIs with partners might dissociate from their partners
  ask lacIs with [ partner != nobody ] [
     if (random-float 1 < lacI-lactose-separation-chance) [
      ask partner [
        set partner nobody
        move-to myself
        set-shape
        forward 1
      ]
      set partner nobody
      forward -1
    ]
  ]

  ; lacIs without partners either bind with the operator
  ask lacIs with [ partner = nobody ] [
    ifelse (not inhibited?) and ((member? patch-here operator) or (member? patch-ahead 1 operator)) [
      set bound-to-operator? true
      set inhibited? true
      set heading 0
      setxy -12 1
    ] [ ; or maybe bind with a lactose
      if (count lactoses-here with [ partner = nobody ] > 0  and (random-float 1 < lacI-lactose-binding-chance)) [
        set partner one-of lactoses-here with [ partner = nobody ]
        set-shape
        ask partner [
          set partner myself
          set-shape
        ]
        dissociate-from-operator ; if necessary, dissociate from the operator
      ]
    ]
  ]

  ask lacIs with [ not bound-to-operator? ] [ move ]
end 

; procedure for lacIs to dissociate from the operator

to dissociate-from-operator ; lacI procedure
  if (bound-to-operator?) [
    set bound-to-operator? false
    set inhibited? false
    forward 3
  ]
end 

; procedure for movement and interactions of lacY proteins

to go-lacY
  ask lacYs [
    ; if lacY hits the cellwall, it gets installed on the cell wall
    ifelse (member? patch-ahead 2 cell-wall) [
      ask patch-ahead 2 [ set pcolor (red + 2) ]
      die
    ]
    ; otherwise we just move normally
    [ move ]
  ]
  ; each tick, the installed lacYs have a chance of degrading
  ask patches with [pcolor = (red + 2)] [
    if (random-float 1 < lacY-degradation-chance) [ set pcolor cell-color ]
  ]
end 

; procedure for movement and interactions of lacZ proteins

to go-lacZ
  ; lacZs near lactose can digest that lactose and produce energy
  ask lacZs with [ any? lactoses in-radius 1 with [ partner = nobody ] ] [
    ask lactoses in-radius 1 with [ partner = nobody ] [
      set energy energy + 10
      die
    ]
  ]
  ask lacZs [
    move
    if (random-float 1 < lacZ-degradation-chance) [ die ] ; there's a chance lacZ degrades
  ]
end 

; procedure for movement and interactions of lactose molecules

to go-lactose
  ; any lactoses near an installed lacY get pumped into the cell
  ask lactoses with [ ([ pcolor ] of patch-ahead 2 = (red + 2)) and not inside? ] [
    move-to patch-ahead 2 set heading towards patch 0 0 ; make sure the lactose gets inside the cell
    fd 3
    set inside? true
  ]

  ask lactoses [ move ]
end 


; procedure for movement and molecular interactions of RNAPs

to go-RNAP
  ; In the presence of glucose, the probability of trancription is less.
  let transcription-probability ifelse-value (glucose?) [ 0.1 ] [ 1 ]

  ; If any RNAPs are close to the promoter and the operator is not inhibited
  if (not inhibited?) [
    ask RNAPs with [ (member? patch-here promoter) or (member? patch-ahead 1 promoter) or (member? patch-ahead 2 promoter) ] [
      if random-float 1 < transcription-probability [
         ; then start moving along the DNA to model transcription
         setxy xcor 1
         set heading 90
         set on-dna? true
      ]
    ]
  ]

  ; If any RNAPs are in the process of transcribing (on-dna?) move them along
  ask RNAPs with [ on-dna? ] [
    forward 1
    ; when you reach the terminator, synthesize the proteins
    if (member? patch-here terminator) [
      synthesize-proteins
      set on-dna? false
      gen-xy-inside-inside
    ]
  ]

  ; Any other RNAPs just move around the cell
  ask RNAPs with [ not on-dna? ] [
    move
    ; Because our DNA is fixed within the cell,  RNAPs at both ends of the
    ; of the cell are moved to a random position inside the cell
    if (xcor > (cell-width - 3) or xcor < (- cell-width + 3)) [ gen-xy-inside-inside ]
  ]
end 

; procedure to synthesize proteins upon dna transcription

to synthesize-proteins
  hatch-lacYs lacY-production-num [
    gen-xy-inside-inside
    set-shape
  ]
  hatch-lacZs lacZ-production-num [
    gen-xy-inside-inside
    set-shape
  ]
  set energy energy - (lacY-production-cost * lacY-production-num) - (lacZ-production-cost * lacZ-production-num)
end 

; procedure to simulate cell division; each type of turtle (except RNAPs and lacIs) population is halved

to divide-cell
  ask n-of (count lacIs with [ partner != nobody ] / 2) lacIs with [ partner != nobody ] [
    ask partner [ die ]
    set partner nobody
    set-shape
  ]
  ask n-of (count lactoses with [ inside? and partner = nobody ] / 2) lactoses with [ inside? and partner = nobody ] [ die ]
  ask n-of (count lacYs / 2) lacYs [ die ]
  ask n-of (count patches with [ pcolor = (red + 2) ] / 2) patches with [ pcolor = (red + 2) ] [ set pcolor cell-color ]
  ask n-of (count lacZs / 2) lacZs [ die ]

  set energy energy / 2
  set division-number division-number + 1
end 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  Helper Procedures ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

; procedure that sets patches for the cell, the cell-wall, and the
; regions of the DNA; although it looks complicated, really we're just
; addressing a bunch of patch-sets

to draw-cell
  set cell-wall ( patch-set
    ; the vertical part of the cell wall
    (patches with [
      (pycor = cell-height or pycor = (- cell-height))
       and
      (pxcor > (-(cell-width + 1)) and pxcor < (cell-width + 1))
    ])
    ; the horizontal part of the cell wall
    (patches with [
       (pxcor = cell-width or pxcor = (- cell-width))
        and
       (pycor > (-(cell-height + 1)) and pycor < (cell-height + 1))
     ])
  )
  set-cell-color brown

  ; patches inside the cell-wall are set white.
  set cell-patches patches with [
    (pycor > (- cell-height) and pycor < cell-height)
     and
    (pxcor > (- cell-width)  and pxcor < cell-width)
  ]
  ask cell-patches [ set pcolor white ]

  ; the operon patches are blue
  let operon patches with [ (pycor > -1 and pycor < 2) and (pxcor > -10 and pxcor < 17) ]
  ask operon [ set pcolor blue ]

  ; promoter is green
  set promoter patches with [ (pycor > -1 and pycor < 2) and (pxcor > -22 and pxcor < -14) ]
  ask promoter [ set pcolor green ]

  ; operator is orange
  set operator patches with [
   ((pycor = 0) and (pxcor > -15 and pxcor < -9))
    or
   (( pycor = 1) and (( pxcor = -10) or ( pxcor = -12) or ( pxcor = -14)))
  ]
  ask operator [ set pcolor orange ]

  ; the terminator patches are gray
  set terminator patches with [
    ((pycor > -1) and (pycor < 2))
     and
    ((pxcor > 16 and pxcor < 19))
  ]
  ask terminator [ set pcolor gray ]
end 

; procedure that assigns a specific shape to an agent based on breed

to set-shape ; turtle procedure
  if breed = lacIs [
    set size 6
    ifelse partner = nobody [
      set shape "lacI"
    ][ ; if you have a partner, you're a lacI-lactose-complex
      set shape "lacI-lactose-complex"
      set size 6
    ]
  ]
  if breed = RNAPs [
    set size 5
    set shape "RNAP"
    set color brown
  ]
  if breed = lactoses [
    ifelse partner = nobody [
      set size 2
      set shape "pentagon"
      set hidden? false
    ][ ; if you have a partner, you're invisible!
      set hidden? true
     ]
  ]
  if breed = lacYs [
    set shape "pump"
    set color (red + 2)
    set size 3
  ]
  if breed = lacZs [
    set shape "protein"
    set color (red + 2)
    set size 4
  ]
end 

; to keep the lactose amount constant if the lactose? switch is on

to update-lactose [ upper-limit ]
    let num-lactose-outside count lactoses with [ not inside? ]
    ifelse num-lactose-outside > upper-limit [
      ask n-of (num-lactose-outside - upper-limit) lactoses with [ not inside? ] [ die ]
    ][
      create-lactoses (upper-limit - num-lactose-outside) [
        gen-xy-inside-outside
        set inside? false
        set partner nobody
        set-shape
      ]
    ]
end 

; procedure to place a molecule inside the cell

to gen-xy-inside-inside ; turtle procedure
  setxy random-xcor random-ycor
  while [ not member? patch-here cell-patches] [
    setxy random-xcor random-ycor
  ]
end 

; procedure to place a molecule outside the cell

to gen-xy-inside-outside ; turtle procedure
  setxy random-xcor random-ycor
  while [(member? patch-here cell-wall) or (member? patch-here cell-patches)] [
    setxy random-xcor random-ycor
  ]
end 

; procedure to set the color of the cell wall. (this is a separate procedure because
; in LevelSpace, the cell wall color needs to be assigned)

to set-cell-color [ the-color ]
  set cell-color the-color
  ask cell-wall [ set pcolor the-color ]
end 

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  LevelSpace Procedures ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

; procedure to setup the cell according to parameters passed in from the population model

to set-initial-variables [ the-list ]

  ; 'the-list' is the following list of numbers (or counts) and booleans
  ; [ cell-color initial-energy energy initial-lacYs initial-lacYs-inserted initial-lacZs
  ;    initial-lacI-lactose-complexes initial-lactose-inside initial-lactose-outside
  ;    glucose?-setting lactose?-setting ]

  ; we use NetLogo's `item` primitive to directly select elements of the list
  set LevelSpace?      true
  set-cell-color       item 0 the-list
  set initial-energy   item 1 the-list
  set energy           initial-energy
  set lactose?         item 8 the-list
  set glucose?         item 9 the-list

  ; create the necessary turtles
  ask n-of (item 3 the-list) cell-wall [ set pcolor red + 2 ]
  create-lacYs (item 2 the-list) [ gen-xy-inside-inside ]
  create-lacZs (item 4 the-list) [ gen-xy-inside-inside ]
  create-lactoses (item 6 the-list) [
    set inside? true
    set partner nobody
    gen-xy-inside-inside
  ]
  ask n-of (item 5 the-list) lacIs [
    hatch-lactoses 1 [
      set inside? true
      set partner myself
      ask partner [ set partner myself ]
    ]
  ]
  ask turtles [ set-shape ]
end 

; procedure to extract list of variables to use in the population model when using LevelSpace

to-report send-variables-list
  report (list (energy) (count lacYs) (count (patches with [pcolor = red + 2])) (count lacZs)
      (count (lacIs with [ partner != nobody ])) (count (lactoses with [ (inside?) and (partner = nobody) ])) (count (lactoses with [ not inside? ])))
end 


; Copyright 2016 Uri Wilensky.
; See Info tab for full copyright and license.

There is only one version of this model, created over 7 years ago by Sugat Dabholkar.

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