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Evolution

Robustness and plasticity in network evolution

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 13, page 827 (2012)Cite this article

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This study describes a new computational approach for studying the evolutionary rewiring of transcriptional regulatory networks by changes in the targets of transcription factors. By applying the approach to the study of 88 transcription factor target binding motifs in 23 species of ascomycete fungi, the authors found that although the biological functions of regulatory networks are conserved, there is considerable plasticity in transcription factor target genes. This suggests a model in which there is selection to maintain the overall function of transcription factors but plasticity with respect to specific targets.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Habib, N. et al. A functional selection model explains evolutionary robustness despite plasticity in regulatory networks. Mol. Syst. Biol. 8, 619 (2012)

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  1. Louisa Flintoft
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Flintoft, L. Robustness and plasticity in network evolution. Nat Rev Genet 13, 827 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3383

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