Logic motif of combinatorial control in transcriptional networks

Abstract

Combinatorial control is prevalent in transcriptional regulatory networks. However, whether there are specific logic patterns over- or under-represented in real networks remains uninvestigated. Using a theoretic model and in-silico simulations, we systematically study how the relative abundance of distinct regulatory logic patterns influences the network’s global dynamics. We find that global dynamic characteristics are sensitive to several specific logic patterns regardless of the detailed network topology. We show it is possible to infer logic motifs based on the sensitivity profile and the biological interpretations of these global characteristics.