Swarms and Genes: Exploring λ- Switch Gene Regulation through Swarm Intelligence

We demonstrate a 3-dimensional, agent-based model of the lambda-switch gene regulatory system, which simulates the interactions of proteins, promoters and operators during the phases of lysogenic and lytic growth in the phage lambda infected bacterium Escherichia coli. Following a decentralized approach, all regulatory mechanisms result from local interactions of the biomolecular agents within a simulated 3D cytoplasm. We show that our model displays the regulatory lambda switch behavior observed in E. coli, where proteins regulate their own production. Our lambda switch simulations provide a versatile testbed for studying gene regulation in silico, complementing in vitro experiments.