title: MicroRNA degeneracy and pluripotentiality within a Lavallière-tie architecture confers robustness to gene expression networks.
abstract: Modularity, feedback control, functional redundancy and bowtie architecture have been proposed as key factors that confer robustness to complex biological systems. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved but functionally dispensable. These antinomic properties suggest that miRNAs fine-tune gene expression rather than act as genetic switches. We synthesize published and unpublished data and hypothesize that miRNA pluripotentiality acts to buffer gene expression, while miRNA degeneracy tunes the expression of targets, thus providing robustness to gene expression networks. Furthermore, we propose a Lavallière-tie architecture by integrating signal transduction, miRNAs and protein expression data to model complex gene expression networks.
authors.affiliation: CEA, BIG, BGE, 17, rue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France.|University Grenoble Alpes, BGE, 38000, Grenoble, France.|INSERM, U1038, 38000, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Ricky
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhajun
authors.affiliation: CEA, BIG, BGE, 17, rue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France.|University Grenoble Alpes, BGE, 38000, Grenoble, France.|INSERM, U1038, 38000, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guyon
authors.affiliation: CEA, BIG, BGE, 17, rue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France. xavier.gidrol@cea.fr.|University Grenoble Alpes, BGE, 38000, Grenoble, France. xavier.gidrol@cea.fr.|INSERM, U1038, 38000, Grenoble, France. xavier.gidrol@cea.fr.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gidrol
mesh_terms: D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs