Network motifs are enriched with transcription factors whose transcripts have short half-lives.
Network motifs, the recurring regulatory structural patterns in networks, can self-organize to produce networks because of the large ratio of genes to transcription factors (TFs) in genomes. We find a common design principle of these motifs: the TFs whose transcripts have short half-lives are significantly enriched in motifs and hubs. This enrichment becomes one of the driving forces for the emergence of the network scale-free topology, enables the network to adapt quickly to environmental changes and mitigates gene expression fluctuations. Motifs are classified into subtypes that are preferentially used in different cellular conditions.
Wang
Edwin
E
Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4P 2R2. Edwin.Wang@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
Purisima
Enrico
E
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D014157:Transcription Factors