Copying nodes versus editing links: The source of the difference between genetic regulatory networks and the WWW

Yoram Louzoun*, Lev Muchnik, Sorin Solomon

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

We study two kinds of networks: Genetic regulatory networks and the World Wide Web. We systematically test microscopic mechanisms to find the set of such mechanisms that optimally explain each networks' specific properties. In the first case we formulate a model including mainly random unbiased gene duplications and mutations. In the second case, the basic moves are website generation and rapid surf-induced link creation (/destruction). The different types of mechanisms reproduce the appropriate observed network properties. We use those to show that different kinds of networks have strongly system-dependent macroscopic experimental features. The diverging properties result from dissimilar node and link basic dynamics. The main non-uniform properties include the clustering coefficient, small-scale motifs frequency, time correlations, centrality and the connectivity of outgoing links. Some other features are generic such as the large-scale connectivity distribution of incoming links (scale-free) and the network diameter (small-worlds). The common properties are just the general hallmark of autocatalysis (self-enhancing processes), while the specific properties hinge on the specific elementary mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)581-588
Number of pages8
JournalBioinformatics
Volume22
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2006
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The work of Y.L. and L.M. is covered by the Yeshaya Horowitz foundation and by the co3 pathfinder NEST grant of the EU 6th framework and by grant ISF.

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