title: Preferential attachment in the protein network evolution.
abstract: The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein-protein interaction map, as well as many natural and man-made networks, shares the scale-free topology. The preferential attachment model was suggested as a generic network evolution model that yields this universal topology. However, it is not clear that the model assumptions hold for the protein interaction network. Using a cross-genome comparison, we show that (a) the older a protein, the better connected it is, and (b) the number of interactions a protein gains during its evolution is proportional to its connectivity. Therefore, preferential attachment governs the protein network evolution. Evolutionary mechanisms leading to such preference and some implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Compugen Ltd., 72 Pinchas Rosen Street, Tel Aviv 69512, Israel.
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: Erez Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Levanon
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016681:Genome, Fungal; D008954:Models, Biological; D010802:Phylogeny; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins