A spectrum of modularity in multi-functional gene circuits.

ABSTRACT: A major challenge in systems biology is to understand the relationship between a circuit's structure and its function, but how is this relationship affected if the circuit must perform multiple distinct functions within the same organism? In particular, to what extent do multi-functional circuits contain modules which reflect the different functions? Here, we computationally survey a range of bi-functional circuits which show no simple structural modularity: They can switch between two qualitatively distinct functions, while both functions depend on all genes of the circuit. Our analysis reveals two distinct classes: hybrid circuits which overlay two simpler mono-functional sub-circuits within their circuitry, and emergent circuits, which do not. In this second class, the bi-

SUBMITTER: Jimenez A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5408781 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature