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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
11:34
Exploring Sequence Space to Identify Binding Sites for Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins
Published on: August 9, 2019
Satisfiability, sequence niches and molecular codes in cellular signalling
1Cornell University, Computational Biology Service Unit, Life Sciences Core Laboratories Center, Ithaca, NY, USA. crm17@cornell.edu
IET Systems Biology
|December 3, 2008
Summary
Biological signaling networks face crosstalk due to imprecise molecular recognition. This study reveals intrinsic limits to reliable cell communication when proteins compete for sequence space, impacting signaling fidelity.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Systems biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Cellular information processing relies on molecular interactions within regulatory and signaling networks.
- Specificity is crucial for distinguishing signals, yet molecular recognition is often imprecise, leading to crosstalk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intrinsic limits of reliable signaling in biological systems.
- To analyze how protein competition for sequence space affects crosstalk and network viability.
Main Methods:
- Development of a simplified model for biomolecular interactions.
- Examination of a neutral network of viable solutions under increasing protein competition.
- Analysis of phase transitions in constraint satisfaction problems and coding theory.
Main Results:
- A sharp onset of crosstalk was observed as proteins compete for sequence space.
- Fragmentation of the neutral network of viable solutions was identified.
- Intrinsic limits to reliable signaling in the presence of molecular promiscuity were revealed.
Conclusions:
- Imprecise molecular recognition imposes fundamental constraints on biological signaling fidelity.
- The findings connect biomolecular network behavior to concepts in statistical physics and information theory.
- Understanding these limits is crucial for comprehending cellular information processing and network robustness.
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