Mean-field theory of the symmetry breaking model for X chromosome inactivation

Abstract

X Chromosome Inactivation (XCI) is the process in mammal female cells whereby one of the X chromosomes is silenced to compensate dosage with respect to males. It is still mysterious how precisely one X chromosome is randomly chosen for inactivation. We discuss here a mean-field theory of the Symmetry Breaking (SB) model of XCI, a Statistical Mechanics model introduced to explain that process. The SB model poses that a single regulatory factor, an aggregate of molecules, is produced which acts to preserve from inactivation one of the X's. The model illustrates a physical mechanism, originating from a thermodynamic phase transition, for the self-assembling of such a single super-molecular aggregate which can spontaneously break the binding symmetry of equivalent targets. This results in a sharp, yet stochastic, regulatory mechanism of XCI. In particular, we focus here on how the model can predict the effects of genetic deletions. Copyright © Progress of Theoretical Physics 2011 All rights reserved.