Gene regulatory and signalling networks exhibit distinct topological distributions of motifs

TL;DR

This study compares the topological distribution of motifs in gene regulatory and signalling networks, revealing different evolutionary strategies in their organization and function within cellular subnetworks.

Contribution

It provides a novel analysis of motif placement differences between gene regulatory and signalling networks, highlighting distinct evolutionary patterns.

Findings

Distinct motif distributions in gene regulatory vs. signalling networks

Evidence of different evolutionary strategies in network organization

Insights into how network topology influences cellular functions

Abstract

The biological processes of cellular decision making and differentiation involve a plethora of signalling pathways and gene regulatory circuits. These networks, in their turn, exhibit a multitude of motifs playing crucial parts in regulating network activity. Here, we compare the topological placement of motifs in gene regulatory and signalling networks and find that it suggests different evolutionary strategies in motif distribution for distinct cellular subnetworks.