One of the activities we hosted at our booth allowed children to carry out their own test tube experiment growing yeast. We set up flasks containing either water or sugar water, then introduced dry active yeast into either medium and sealed a balloon overtop each flask. We had children predict which flask they believed would produce the larger balloon, and allowed them to observe as the process of cellular respiration took place, causing the balloons to expand as the yeast produced carbon dioxide in the flasks. This was a great opportunity for children and their families to learn about a simple science experiment that can be done at home to learn about the wonders of cellular biology!



2) Since both the test and standard promoters are carried on the same plasmid backbone, assume they have the same average copy number:


3) Since promoters have been standardized to have identical transcription initiation sites (predicted) and identical sequences downstream of the site, we expect them to produce the same mRNA sequences.
Therefore,
Expect transcribed mRNA to be identical, implying mRNA degradation rates are equivalent:


Thus, we assume translational rates of immature GFP from some mRNA are equal:


4) Assume that immature GFP is stable. Therefore, protein degradation is negligable compared to dilution due to cell growth.
Thus:

Thus,

and if

Then,


Therefore, we assume the difference between growth rates of cells containing the test promoter construct and cells containing the standard promoter construct, is negligible compared to the maturation rate of GFP.

Thus, for the purposes of QGEM's modelling;

Relating Transcription Rate to Proteins Produced