Understanding biological functions through
molecular networks
The completion of genome sequences and subsequent
high-throughput mapping of molecular networks have allowed us to study biology
from the network perspective. Experimental, statistical and mathematical
modeling approaches have been employed to study the structure, function and
dynamics of molecular networks, and begin to reveal important links of various
network properties to the functions of the biological systems. In agreement
with these functional links, evolutionary selection of a network is apparently
based on the function, rather than directly on the structure of the network.
Dynamic modularity is one of the prominent features of molecular networks.
Taking advantage of such a feature may simplify network-based biological
studies through construction of process-specific modular networks and provide
functional and mechanistic insights linking genotypic variations to complex
traits or diseases, which is likely to be a key approach in the next wave of
understanding complex human diseases. With the development of ready-to-use
network analysis and modeling tools the networks approaches will be infused
into everyday biological research in the near future.