Evolving Gene Regulatory Networks with Mobile DNA Mechanisms

TL;DR

This paper explores how mobile DNA mechanisms, like transposons, can dynamically evolve gene regulatory networks to improve performance in computational tasks, with applications in biological and engineered systems.

Contribution

It introduces a tunable Boolean network model incorporating mobile DNA-inspired mechanisms for evolving network connectivity and function.

Findings

Enhanced performance in computational intelligence tasks

Potential applications in biological systems like slime mould

Designs for distributed control systems

Abstract

This paper uses a recently presented abstract, tuneable Boolean regulatory network model extended to consider aspects of mobile DNA, such as transposons. The significant role of mobile DNA in the evolution of natural systems is becoming increasingly clear. This paper shows how dynamically controlling network node connectivity and function via transposon-inspired mechanisms can be selected for in computational intelligence tasks to give improved performance. The designs of dynamical networks intended for implementation within the slime mould Physarum polycephalum and for the distributed control of a smart surface are considered.