最近剛被 IEEE-SMCB 期刊接受的論文：Mining Bridge and Brick Motifs from Complex Biological Networks for Functionally and Statistically Significant Discovery
山水
Abstract: A major task for post-genomic systems biology researchers is
to systematically catalogue molecules and their interactions within
living cells. Advancements in complex network theory are being made
toward uncovering organizing principles that govern cell formation and
evolution, but we lack understanding of how molecules and their
interactions determine how complex systems function. Molecular bridge
motifs include isolated motifs that neither interact nor overlap with
others, whereas brick motifs act as network foundations that play a
central role in defining global topological organization. To emphasize
their structural organizing and evolutionary characteristics, we
define bridge motifs as consisting of weak links only and brick motifs
as consisting of strong links only, then propose a method for
performing two tasks simultaneously: (a) detecting global statistical
features and local connection structures in biological networks, and
(b) locating functionally and statistically significant network
motifs. To further understand the role of biological networks in
system contexts, we examine functional and topological differences
between bridge and brick motifs for predicting biological network
behaviors and functions. After observing brick motif similarities
between E. coli and S. cerevisiae, we note that bridge motifs
differentiate C. elegans from Drosophila and sea urchin in three types
of networks. Similarities (differences) in bridge and brick motifs
imply similar (different) key circuit elements in the three organisms.
We suggest that motif content analyses can provide researchers with
global and local data for real biological networks and assist in the
search for either isolated or functionally and topologically
overlapping motifs when investigating and comparing biological system
functions and behaviors.
Keywords: Strong/weak links, Complex biological systems, Network
motif, Network-oriented approach.