Perturbation-Response Approach for Biological Network Analysis

Abstract

A cell contains thousands of genes/proteins/metabolites in a highly inhomogeneous intracellular environment with spatiotemporal effects of molecular crowding and diffusion. The molecules are highly interconnected, leading to complex networks. Hence, there is precedence that all molecular interactions with their detailed reaction kinetics and spatial organization are required to be known for the proper understanding of biological responses. In fact, the goal of the human genome project is to first generate a complete parts list of genetic materials within cells and, second, from it construct the detailed regulatory features that connect them. However, even in such perceived complexity involving myriad interacting components, simple mass-action models using a limited set of crucial molecules, constituting functional biological modules, were successfully used to interpret dynamic responses (Chap. 1). How can such simplicity be held within a complex system?

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7690-0_14

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7690-0_14