title: Information theory and signal transduction systems: from molecular information processing to network inference.
abstract: Sensing and responding to the environment are two essential functions that all biological organisms need to master for survival and successful reproduction. Developmental processes are marshalled by a diverse set of signalling and control systems, ranging from systems with simple chemical inputs and outputs to complex molecular and cellular networks with non-linear dynamics. Information theory provides a powerful and convenient framework in which such systems can be studied; but it also provides the means to reconstruct the structure and dynamics of molecular interaction networks underlying physiological and developmental processes. Here we supply a brief description of its basic concepts and introduce some useful tools for systems and developmental biologists. Along with a brief but thorough theoretical primer, we demonstrate the wide applicability and biological application-specific nuances by way of different illustrative vignettes. In particular, we focus on the characterisation of biological information processing efficiency, examining cell-fate decision making processes, gene regulatory network reconstruction, and efficient signal transduction experimental design.
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors: Siobhan S
authors: SS
authors: Mc Mahon
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Sim
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Filippi
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Johnson
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors: Juliane
authors: J
authors: Liepe
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors: Dominic
authors: D
authors: Smith
authors: Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK. Electronic address: m.stumpf@imperial.ac.uk.
authors: Michael P H
authors: MP
authors: Stumpf
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D007257:Information Theory; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction
keywords: Experimental design; Mutual information; Network inference; Noise; Signal processing