Validation of a Mathematical Model of Gene Transcription in Aggregated Cellular Systems: Application to L1 Retrotransposition

We present a methodology aimed at partial validation and accuracy–precision assessment of a mathematical model of gene transcription at the cellular level. The method is based on the analysis of time-series measurements aggregated over a large number of cells. Such measurements are typically obtained via reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments. The validation procedure presented herein uses as an example data on L1 retrotransposon gene in HeLa cells. The procedure compares model predicted values with the RT-PCR data for L1 by means of the standard Bayesian statistical techniques with the help of modern Markov-Chain Monte-Carlo methodology.