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Innovation and robustness in complex regulatory gene networks

Stefano Ciliberti, Olivier Martin, Andreas Wagner · 2007 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Summary. This paper examines how evolutionary innovation occurs in gene regulatory networks controlling embryonic development. The researchers show that networks producing the same gene expression patterns form connected networks in genotype space, allowing evolution to explore diverse genetic changes while maintaining viable phenotypes. Robustness to mutations, rather than hindering innovation, actually enables long-term evolutionary innovation by keeping organisms close to functional states.

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Ciliberti, S., Martin, O., & Wagner, A.. (2007). Innovation and robustness in complex regulatory gene networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0705396104

Details

DOI
10.1073/pnas.0705396104
Countries
France, Switzerland
Regions
Europe
Categories
innovation-theory, general-innovation
Added
2026-04-28