Multiple weak hits confuse complex systems: A transcriptional regulatory network as an example
Abstract
Robust systems, like the molecular networks of living cells, are often resistant to single hits such as those caused by high-specificity drugs. Here we show that partial weakening of the Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcriptional regulatory networks at a small number (3-5) of selected nodes can have a greater impact than the complete elimination of a single selected node. In both cases, the targeted nodes have the greatest possible impact; still, the results suggest that in some cases broader specificity compounds or multitarget drug therapies may be more effective than individual high-affinity, high-specificity ones. Multiple but partial attacks mimic well a number of in vivo scenarios and may be useful in the efficient modification of other complex systems.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review E
- Pub Date:
- May 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevE.71.051909
- arXiv:
- arXiv:q-bio/0410026
- Bibcode:
- 2005PhRvE..71e1909A
- Keywords:
-
- 87.17.Aa;
- Theory and modeling;
- computer simulation;
- Quantitative Biology - Molecular Networks;
- Quantitative Biology - Genomics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables