Boolean networks for modeling and analysis of gene regulation

Abstract

Gene-regulatory networks control the expression of genes and therefore the phenotype of cells. Modeling and simulation of such networks can provide deep insights into the functioning of cells. Boolean networks are a commonly used technique to model gene-regulatory networks. We introduce methods to construct Boolean networks from literature knowledge and to analyze their dynamics. In particular, methods to identify and analyze attractors are presented. In simulations on three biological networks, we analyze the robustness of attractors. These evaluations confirm the biological relevance of previously identified attractors.