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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.11.06.622206

Fractional Calculus in Epigenetics

Nasrolahpour, H.·Pellegrini, M.·Skovranek, T.
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Abstract

DNA methylation, a pivotal epigenetic modification, plays a critical role in regulating gene expression. Understanding its dynamics with age is essential for elucidating ageing processes and developing biomarkers. This short note presents a theoretical framework for modelling DNA methylation dynamics using a fractional calculus approach, extending standard exponential models to accommodate the complex, heterogeneous nature of methylation changes over time. The fractional-calculus representation of the methylation process, described by the fractional-order differential equation and its solution based on the Mittag-Leffler function, not only provides better results in the sense of R2, RMSE, and MSE criteria but also offers a more general model, where the standard exponential model is only one special case.

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Nasrolahpour, H., Pellegrini, M., Skovranek, T.. 2024-11-08. Fractional Calculus in Epigenetics. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.06.622206

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