Gibbs free energy as a measure of complexity correlates with time within C. elegans embryonic development.

ABSTRACT: We investigate free energy behavior in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans during embryonic development. Our approach utilizes publicly available gene expression data, which gives us a picture of developmental changes in protein concentration and, resultantly, chemical potential and free energy. Our results indicate a clear global relationship between Gibbs free energy and time spent in development and provide thermodynamic indicators of the large-scale biological events of cell division and differentiation.

SUBMITTER: McGuire SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5696307 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature