Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
08:38
Genome-wide Protein-protein Interaction Screening by Protein-fragment Complementation Assay (PCA) in Living Cells
Published on: March 3, 2015
Experimental evolution of protein-protein interaction networks
1NASA Astrobiology Institute, Mountain View, CA 94035, USA.
The Biochemical Journal
|July 16, 2013
Summary
Understanding how molecular networks evolve is key to organismal adaptation. This review explores protein interaction networks and their role in evolution and fitness.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Organismal fitness relies on optimized molecular networks (protein and nucleic acid) responding to environmental changes.
- The dynamics of molecular network interactions and their contribution to evolvability remain poorly understood.
- Investigating molecular networks is crucial for understanding adaptation and evolutionary trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how inter- and intra-molecular interactions within networks change over time.
- To understand the contribution of molecular network dynamics to organismal evolvability and fitness.
- To review methods for identifying mechanisms of organismal evolution using protein interaction networks.
Main Methods:
- Integrating evolutionary history with experimental systems.
- Utilizing tools from molecular evolution, synthetic biology, and biochemistry.
- Analyzing protein interaction networks to understand molecular dynamics.
Main Results:
- The review discusses approaches to identify evolutionary mechanisms.
- It highlights the importance of studying molecular network dynamics.
- It emphasizes the connection between network perturbations and evolutionary paths.
Conclusions:
- Integrating evolutionary history with experimental approaches provides insights into organismal evolution.
- Studying protein interaction networks is vital for understanding adaptation and evolvability.
- Further research combining molecular evolution, synthetic biology, and biochemistry is needed.
Related Concept Videos
02:26Protein Networks
An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
02:26Protein Networks
An organism can have thousands of different proteins, and these proteins must cooperate to ensure the health of an organism. Proteins bind to other proteins and form complexes to carry out their functions. Many proteins interact with multiple other proteins creating a complex network of protein interactions.
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
02:04Protein-protein Interfaces
Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a polypeptide...
02:04Protein-Protein Interfaces
Many proteins form complexes to carry out their functions, making protein-protein interactions (PPIs) essential for an organism's survival. Most PPIs are stabilized by numerous weak noncovalent chemical forces. The physical shape of the interfaces determines the way two proteins interact. Many globular proteins have closely-matching shapes on their surfaces, which form a large number of weak bonds. Additionally, many PPIs occur between two helices or between a surface cleft and a polypeptide...
02:26Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
Protein domains are small structurally independent units that are part of a single amino acid chain. Although these domains are often structurally independent, they may rely on synergistic effects to perform their functions as part of a larger protein. Protein domains may be conserved within the same organism, as well as across different organisms.
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to form...
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to form...
01:57Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
Groups of proteins may form a complex where each protein in this complex has a different role in the overall execution of the complex’s function. Often some of the proteins in the complex can be replaced by a closely related variant to give a complex that contains many of the same components yet is functionally distinct.
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...