ANALYSIS OF TOXICITY EFFECTS FROM MOLECULAR TO POPULATION LEVEL: Circadian oscillator case study

To analyze how toxic effects propagate from molecular to population level, a simple model of a circadian oscillator has been coupled with a cyanobacteria growth model. It has been assumed that the circadian oscillator synchronizes with light-dark environmental conditions and toxicants affect this synchronization reducing the population growth. Then dose-response curves have been developed. The results evidence that to understand toxic effects we have to focus our study on the interactions that a certain compound may have with proteins, and/or DNA, since the result of these interactions will determine the final mode of action at macroscopic level. Therefore an intermediate step for assessing toxic effects has been proposed.