Using only the transcription network structure information, a probabilistic model was
developed that computes the probabilities with which a pair of genes responds
simultaneously (SR) or differentially (DR) to a random network perturbation. Study of
yeast’s transcription regulatory network in association with gene expression profiles
shows that SR and DR probabilities are significantly associated with the distribution of
strong co-expression. It is 100 fold more probable to observe co-expression when
P(SR)»0.5 for a random perturbation of 3 transcription factors (TFs), allowing for
perturbation spread until a depth of 3 connections in the regulatory network. The model
also predicts that positive co-expression enhancement is related with the proportion of
common TFs (number of TFs that regulate both genes in a pair divided by the total
number of TFs that regulate at least one gene in the pair), and not to the absolute
number. The relationship between the model derived probabilities and other graphtheoretic
measures used to analyse biological networks is discussed. |