Entropic Characterisation of Biological Networks

We have recently introduced the concept of network entropy [1] as a global proxy for the resilience of a network against random perturbations. At the example of two protein interaction networks (yeast and C.elegans), I will illustrate that these ideas can be used to rank proteins according to their structural importance in the network and that this ranking scheme correlates with functional importance (lethality).

I will illustrate how the entropic characterisation of networks can be turned into a novel model of network evolution which is based on a biological selection principle.

[1] L. Demetrius & T. Manke, Robustness and network evolution - an entropic principle Physica A 346 (2005) 682-696.