Fold change in the number of free miRNA and ceRNAs.

Using ceRNA1 transcription rate as control parameter we evaluate the fold change in the number of free miRNA (S), ceRNA1 () and ceRNA2 () upon a variation of 2,5 and 7 fold in in a system of 1 miRNA interacting with 100 different targets (). Depending on the availability of free miRNA S (which depends on its basal transcription rate ) the system could be below, near or above the threshold. Although the fold-change in is the same in the three cases, the fold change in and (measured as the ratio between their final and initial values) is maximal in proximity to the threshold. To obtain approximately the same fold-change in a system with only 1 miRNA and 2 targets ( and ) the miRNA transcription rate has to be lower. Its value is reported in brackets as well the corresponding fold-change when different from the case with 1 miRNA and 100 targets.