title: Network motifs: theory and experimental approaches.
abstract: Transcription regulation networks control the expression of genes. The transcription networks of well-studied microorganisms appear to be made up of a small set of recurring regulation patterns, called network motifs. The same network motifs have recently been found in diverse organisms from bacteria to humans, suggesting that they serve as basic building blocks of transcription networks. Here I review network motifs and their functions, with an emphasis on experimental studies. Network motifs in other biological networks are also mentioned, including signalling and neuronal networks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. urialon@weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Alon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D018085:Regulon / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors