Topological origin of global attractors in gene regulatory networks

Abstract

Fixed-point attractors with global stability manifest themselves in a number of gene regulatory networks. This property indicates the stability of regulatory networks against small state perturbations and is closely related to other complex dynamics. In this paper, we aim to reveal the core modules in regulatory networks that determine their global attractors and the relationship between these core modules and other motifs. This work has been done via three steps. Firstly, inspired by the signal transmission in the regulation process, we extract the model of chain-like network from regulation networks. We propose a module of “ideal transmission chain (ITC)”, which is proved sufficient and necessary (under certain condition) to form a global fixed-point in the context of chain-like network. Secondly, by examining two well-studied regulatory networks (i.e., the cell-cycle regulatory networks of Budding yeast and Fission yeast), we identify the ideal modules in true regulation networks and demonstrate that the modules have a superior contribution to network stability (quantified by the relative size of the biggest attraction basin). Thirdly, in these two regulation networks, we find that the double negative feedback loops, which are the key motifs of forming bistability in regulation, are connected to these core modules with high network stability. These results have shed new light on the connection between the topological feature and the dynamic property of regulatory networks.