Figure 3

Advantages of single molecule resolution. Tracking individual molecules of DNA at a base-pair resolution allows for creation of implicit rules defined by the state of protein-DNA interactions and of the DNA itself. For example, when a traversing polymerase occupies a genetic element such as a protein-DNA binding site (a), the binding site is inactivated and prevented from binding a protein until the polymerase completely clears the site. Activation of genetic elements by entry of DNA into the cell (b) and inter-polymerase interactions (c) can be directly simulated as well. Finally, in complex genetic environments (d) where multiple promoters and terminators regulate the expression of genes, a priori transcription levels for each protein need not be calculated, for they are generated implicitly.