Complexification of Gene Networks by Co-evolution of Genomes and Genomic Parasites

David M. Holloway, Alexander B. Kazansky, Alexander V. Spirov

2012

Abstract

The co-evolution of species with their genomic parasites (transposons) is thought to be one of the primary ways of rewiring gene regulatory networks (GRNs). In this communication, we computationally explore some of the essential co-evolution aspects of hosts (GRNs) with their transposons. We implemented an evolutionary search of an appropriate GRN model design on the example of the Drosophila gap-gene network. Simple artificial transposons capable of spreading and transposition were implemented. With the model, we explored the hypothesis that targeting destruction of some of the regulatory connections in the GRN via the action of transposons can produce negative selection pressure. Functionally external genes can be recruited (co-opted) into the GRN under this selection pressure following transposon rewiring of the GRN. Over evolutionary time, transposition events are able to disrupt these new regulatory connections, leading to repeated cycles of recruitment, rewiring and optimization. This process can produce increasingly large GRNs with the same basic functions.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

M. Holloway D., B. Kazansky A. and V. Spirov A. (2012). Complexification of Gene Networks by Co-evolution of Genomes and Genomic Parasites . In Proceedings of the 4th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence - Volume 1: ECTA, (IJCCI 2012) ISBN 978-989-8565-33-4, pages 238-244. DOI: 10.5220/0004170802380244

in Bibtex Style

@conference{ecta12,
author={David M. Holloway and Alexander B. Kazansky and Alexander V. Spirov},
title={Complexification of Gene Networks by Co-evolution of Genomes and Genomic Parasites },
booktitle={Proceedings of the 4th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence - Volume 1: ECTA, (IJCCI 2012)},
year={2012},
pages={238-244},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0004170802380244},
isbn={978-989-8565-33-4},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 4th International Joint Conference on Computational Intelligence - Volume 1: ECTA, (IJCCI 2012)
TI - Complexification of Gene Networks by Co-evolution of Genomes and Genomic Parasites
SN - 978-989-8565-33-4
AU - M. Holloway D.
AU - B. Kazansky A.
AU - V. Spirov A.
PY - 2012
SP - 238
EP - 244
DO - 10.5220/0004170802380244