Hierarchical analysis of regulatory networks and cross-disciplinary comparison with the Linux call graph

The study of hierarchical organization of complex networks provides a more intuitive picture on the regulatory interactions in various complex systems, including both biological and technological systems. In the first part of the talk, I will introduce the integrated regulatory network based on the systematic integration of various high-throughput datasets from the modENCODE project. The network consists of three major types of regulation: TF→gene, TF→miRNA and miRNA→gene. I will examine the topological structures of the network, with emphasis on its hierarchical organization. In the second part of the talk, I will further present the hierarchical organization of the E. coli transcriptional regulatory network and the call graph of the Linux operating system. The effects on the robustness of the systems and insights from evolution will be discussed.