Modeling synthetic gene oscillators

Genetic oscillators have long held the fascination of experimental and theoretical synthetic biologists alike. From an experimental standpoint, the creation of synthetic gene oscillators represents a yardstick by which our ability to engineer synthetic gene circuits can be measured. For theorists, synthetic gene oscillators are a playground in which to test mathematical models for the dynamics of gene regulation. Historically, mathematical models of synthetic gene circuits have varied greatly. Often, the differences are determined by the level of biological detail included within each model, or which approximation scheme is used. In this review, we examine, in detail, how mathematical models of synthetic gene oscillators are derived and the biological processes that affect the dynamics of gene regulation.