TY - JOUR
T1 - Epigenomics and the concept of degeneracy in biological systems
AU - Maleszka, Ryszard
AU - Mason, Paul H.
AU - Barron, Andrew B.
N1 - Copyright the Authors 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For commercial re-use, please contact [email protected]
PY - 2014/5
Y1 - 2014/5
N2 - Researchers in the field of epigenomics are developing more nuanced
understandings of biological complexity, and exploring the multiple
pathways that lead to phenotypic expression. The concept of
degeneracy—referring to the multiple pathways that a system recruits to
achieve functional plasticity—is an important conceptual accompaniment
to the growing body of knowledge in epigenomics. Distinct from
degradation, redundancy and dilapidation; degeneracy refers to the
plasticity of traits whose function overlaps in some environments, but
diverges in others. While a redundant system is composed of repeated
identical elements performing the same function, a degenerate system is
composed of different elements performing similar or overlapping
functions. Here, we describe the degenerate structure of gene regulatory
systems from the basic genetic code to flexible epigenomic
modifications, and discuss how these structural features have
contributed to organism complexity, robustness, plasticity and
evolvability.
AB - Researchers in the field of epigenomics are developing more nuanced
understandings of biological complexity, and exploring the multiple
pathways that lead to phenotypic expression. The concept of
degeneracy—referring to the multiple pathways that a system recruits to
achieve functional plasticity—is an important conceptual accompaniment
to the growing body of knowledge in epigenomics. Distinct from
degradation, redundancy and dilapidation; degeneracy refers to the
plasticity of traits whose function overlaps in some environments, but
diverges in others. While a redundant system is composed of repeated
identical elements performing the same function, a degenerate system is
composed of different elements performing similar or overlapping
functions. Here, we describe the degenerate structure of gene regulatory
systems from the basic genetic code to flexible epigenomic
modifications, and discuss how these structural features have
contributed to organism complexity, robustness, plasticity and
evolvability.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901418461&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/bfgp/elt050
DO - 10.1093/bfgp/elt050
M3 - Article
C2 - 24335757
AN - SCOPUS:84901418461
SN - 2041-2649
VL - 13
SP - 191
EP - 202
JO - Briefings in Functional Genomics
JF - Briefings in Functional Genomics
IS - 3
M1 - elt050
ER -