Toward a classification of isodynamic feed-forward motifs

J Biol Dyn. 2010 Mar;4(2):196-211. doi: 10.1080/17513750903144461.

Abstract

A preceding study analysed how the topology of network motifs affects the overall rate of the underlying biochemical processes. Surprisingly, it was shown that topologically non-isomorphic motifs can still be isodynamic in the sense that they exhibit the exact same performance rate. Because of the high prevalence of feed-forward functional modules in biological networks, one may hypothesize that evolution tends to favour motifs with faster dynamics. As a step towards ranking the efficiency of feed-forward network motifs, we use a linear flow model to prove theorems establishing that certain classes of motifs are isodynamic. In partitioning the class of all motifs on n nodes into equivalence classes based upon their dynamics, we establish a basis for comparing the efficiency/performance rates of different motifs. The potential biological importance of the theorems is briefly discussed and is the subject of an ongoing large-scale project.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Biochemistry / methods*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Genome
  • Models, Biological*
  • Models, Statistical
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Signal Transduction
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology
  • Systems Biology / methods*