title: The topology of the protein network influences the dynamics of gene order: from systems biology to a systemic understanding of evolution.
abstract: Abstract Systems biology invites us to consider the dynamic interactions between the components of a living cell. Here, by evolving artificial organisms whose genomes encode protein networks, we show that a coupling emerges at the evolutionary time scale between the protein network and the structure of the genome. Gene order is more stable when the protein network is more densely connected, which most likely results from a long-term selection for mutational robustness. Understanding evolving organisms thus requires a systemic approach, taking into account the functional interactions between gene products, but also the global relationships between the genome and the proteome at the evolutionary time scale.
authors.affiliation: LIRIS UMR CNRS/UCBL 5205, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Bat. Nautibus, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France. carole.knibbe@liris.cnrs.fr
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knibbe
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fayard
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beslon
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D023061:Gene Order; D008954:Models, Biological; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D049490:Systems Biology
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins