A cascade genetic circuit (I), comprising nucleic acid constructs (II) encoding several transcriptional regulators arranged in a hierarchical order so that expression of an upstream regulator stimulates expression of a downstream regulator, and a final target promoter (III) responsive in a dose-dependent fashion to a terminal downstream regulator, is new. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a cell comprising (I); and (2) regulating the expression of a nucleic acid, comprising: (a) establishing a genetic circuit according to the novel method; (b) placing the sequence under the control of (III); and (c) inducing the cascade genetic circuit to stimulate expression of the sequence.