Behaviour Preservation of a Biological Regulatory Network when Embedded into a Larger Network

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bernot, Gilles | Tahi, Fariza

Affiliations: Laboratoire I3S, UMR 6070 UNSA-CNRS, Algorithmes-Euclide-B, 2000, route des Lucioles B.P. 121, F-06903 Sophia Antipolis CEDEX, France. [email protected] | IBISC FRE 3190, Université d'Evry-CNRS, Genopole 523 place des Terrasses, F-91000 Evry, France. [email protected]

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Laboratoire I3S, UMR 6070 UNSA-CNRS, Algorithmes-Euclide-B, 2000, route des Lucioles B.P. 121, F-06903 Sophia Antipolis CEDEX, France

Abstract: The main contribution of this work is a mathematical theorem which establishes a necessary and sufficient condition to preserve the behaviour of a genetic regulatory network when it is embedded into a larger network. We adopt the modelling approach of René Thomas, which provides a discrete representation of biological regulatory networks. This framework is entirely formalized using labelled graphs with semantics defined in terms of state graphs with transitions. Our theorem offers the possibility to automatically verify whether a subnetwork has autonomous behaviour. It will allow biologists to better identify relevant sets of genes which should be studied together.

DOI: 10.3233/FI-2009-0052

Journal: Fundamenta Informaticae, vol. 91, no. 3-4, pp. 463-485, 2009