The transcriptional regulation of PER protein in Drosophila.

We propose an auto-activation model controlled by a negative feedback transcriptional regulator to describe the circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. The model is specific to eukaryote organisms and oscillations are induced by a two-compartment approach, the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The communication between compartments is done through diffusive coupling, simulating the protein channels connecting the interior of the nucleus with the cytoplasm. The same model without compartments has no oscillations. We calibrate the model with data from per mRNA concentration.