Preferential attachment in the evolution of metabolic networks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many biological networks show some characteristics of scale-free networks. Scale-free networks can evolve through preferential attachment where new nodes are preferentially attached to well connected nodes. In networks which have evolved through preferential attachment older nodes should have a higher average connectivity than younger nodes. Here we have investigated preferential attachment in the context of metabolic networks.

Results

The connectivities of the enzymes in the metabolic network of Escherichia coli were determined and representatives for these enzymes were located in 11 eukaryotes, 17 archaea and 46 bacteria. E. coli enzymes which have representatives in eukaryotes have a higher average connectivity while enzymes which are represented only in the pr

SUBMITTER: Light S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1316878 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature