title: Dynamics of gene circuits shapes evolvability.
abstract: To what extent does the dynamical mechanism producing a specific biological phenotype bias the ability to evolve into novel phenotypes? We use the interpretation of a morphogen gradient into a single stripe of gene expression as a model phenotype. Although there are thousands of three-gene circuit topologies that can robustly develop a stripe of gene expression, the vast majority of these circuits use one of just six fundamentally different dynamical mechanisms. Here we explore the potential for gene circuits that use each of these six mechanisms to evolve novel phenotypes such as multiple stripes, inverted stripes, and gradients of gene expression. Through a comprehensive and systematic analysis, we find that circuits that use alternative mechanisms differ in the likelihood of reaching novel phenotypes through mutation. We characterize the phenotypic transitions and identify key ingredients of the evolutionary potential, such as sensitive interactions and phenotypic hubs. Finally, we provide an intuitive understanding on how the modular design of a particular mechanism favors the access to novel phenotypes. Our work illustrates how the dynamical mechanism by which an organism develops constrains how it can evolve. It is striking that these dynamical mechanisms and their impact on evolvability can be observed even for such an apparently simple patterning task, performed by just three-node circuits.
authors: European Molecular Biology Laboratory-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; and.
authors: Alba
authors: A
authors: Jiménez
authors: European Molecular Biology Laboratory-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; and.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Cotterell
authors: European Molecular Biology Laboratory-CRG Systems Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; and Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain james.sharpe@crg.eu.
authors: Andreea
authors: A
authors: Munteanu
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Sharpe
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D010641:Phenotype
keywords: developmental constraints; dynamical mechanism; evolvability; genotype–phenotype maps; phenotypic innovation
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