A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis

A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: GHANEM, AMER
Language:English
Published: University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK 2008
Subjects:
Computer Science
Artificial ontogenesis
Modular Gene regulation
Gene regulation network
Online Access:http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1204580560
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spelling ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-ucin12045805602021-08-03T06:12:23Z A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis GHANEM, AMER Computer Science Artificial ontogenesis Modular Gene regulation Gene regulation network A fundamental issue in evolution is the balance between variation and stability. Change isnecessary for the evolution of fitter forms, but it cannot come at the expense of disruptingstructures or processes that are critical to survival. The mechanisms that allow sufficientvariation to occur while preserving critical features are, therefore, central to evolvability -the viability of the evolutionary process in a class of systems. Recent work in evolutionarydevelopmental biology has demonstrated that modularity is the key enabler for balancingvariation and stability in animals. The deployment of the same developmental modules indifferent spatial and temporal combinations (called heterotopy and heterochrony, respec-tively) can generate a wide range of forms without the need for much change within themodules. Thus, useful and sometimes critical features evolved with great difficulty can beconserved as modules, while large changes in the regulatory mechanisms underlying their usecan provide the variation needed for evolution. In this thesis, we combine the idea of regula-tory variation in a modular developmental system with Kauffmans hypothesis of cell typesas attractors. We present a simple model for the ontogenesis of two-dimensional shapes anattractor network of regulatory genes controls the deployment of genetic network modulesthat explicitly determine growth and phenomenological attributes. We use this model toshow that:1. A very wide variety of forms can be generated purely through changes in the connec-tivity and input weights of the regulatory network while conserving the rest of thenetwork.2. Systematic variations in the switching conditions for a fixed set of regulatory attractorsproduce systematic changes in the phenotypes, effectively generating a phylogeny.3. Small variations in the initial conditions (distribution of maternal proteins, etc.) pro-duces minimal phenotypic changes, somewhat larger variations generate phenotypeswith a family resemblance, and much larger ones produce distinct phenotypes.In the future, we plan to extend the model to three-dimensional shapes and incorporateit into an evolutionary algorithm for generating more complex functional phenotypes. 2008-04-18 English text University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1204580560 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1204580560 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: some rights reserved. It is licensed for use under a Creative Commons license. Specific terms and permissions are available from this document's record in the OhioLINK ETD Center.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic Computer Science
Artificial ontogenesis
Modular Gene regulation
Gene regulation network
spellingShingle Computer Science
Artificial ontogenesis
Modular Gene regulation
Gene regulation network
GHANEM, AMER
A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis
author GHANEM, AMER
author_facet GHANEM, AMER
author_sort GHANEM, AMER
title A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis
title_short A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis
title_full A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis
title_fullStr A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis
title_full_unstemmed A Modular Gene Regulation Network Model of Artificial Ontogenesis
title_sort modular gene regulation network model of artificial ontogenesis
publisher University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK
publishDate 2008
url http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1204580560
work_keys_str_mv AT ghanemamer amodulargeneregulationnetworkmodelofartificialontogenesis
AT ghanemamer modulargeneregulationnetworkmodelofartificialontogenesis
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