Defining all networks that can achieve biological functions

ORAL

Abstract

In systems biology it is common to study networks of biochemical reactions in order to understand the role those reactions play in carrying out a biological function. A central question is then, how is the network topology related to the particular function. We consider the question: given a biological function, how to identify all possible topologies that can accomplish that function. Our approach leverages recent advances in model reduction. We begin with a fully connected network topology and fit it to artificial data corresponding to a particular function. We then perform model reduction to remove irrelevant edges from the network. The result is a minimal network that can carry out that function.

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Authors

  • Malachi Tolman

    Brigham Young University - Prove

  • John Colton

    Brigham Young University Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Brigham Young University, None, The College of William and Mary/Jefferson Lab, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Blue Ridge Research and Consulting LLC, Air Force Research Laboratory - Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Brigham Young Univ - Provo, Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, University of Utah, SRI International, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Professor, Graduate, United States Air Force Academy, Arizona State Univ, SiO2 NanoTech, Entrepix Inc, AFRL, Advisor, Brigham Young University- Provo, University of New Mexico, Univ of Utah, University of Wisconsin -- Madison, New Mexico Tech Physics Dept., Retired, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Department of Physics \& Astronomy, University of Hawai'i, JILA and University of Colorado, Boulder, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, University of Colorado, Boulder, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Space Dynamics Lab, New Mexico Tech, BYU Professor, Brigham Young University -- Provo, Northern Arizona University, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, University of Utah, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University