Self-Assembly in Biological Structures
Donald Caspar and Aaron Klug discovered quasi-equivalence principles in virus assembly earning the 1982 Nobel Prize. Researchers study self-assembly in ribosomes, flagella, viral capsids, and cytoskeleton. Nanotechnologists engineer self-assembling materials inspired by biological systems. Structural biologists determine assembly intermediates revealing pathways from components to completed structures.
Network Motifs in Biological Regulation
Uri Alon pioneered network motif analysis identifying recurring regulatory circuit patterns statistically overrepresented in biological networks. Ron Milo developed computational methods detecting motifs. Systems biologists catalog motifs across organisms—bacteria, yeast, mammals—revealing universal architectural principles. Graph theorists study motif statistics and functions.
Feed-Forward Loops in Gene Networks
Uri Alon identified feed-forward loops (FFLs) as recurring network motifs in E. coli and yeast gene regulatory networks. His laboratory systematically characterized FFL dynamics and functions. Systems biologists recognize FFLs as one of most common three-node network architectures. Synthetic biologists engineer FFLs for timing control in genetic circuits.
Timing Control in Gene Regulatory Networks
Uri Alon demonstrated how feed-forward loops generate time delays in gene expression. Systems biologists model temporal dynamics using differential equations. Developmental biologists study timing control coordinating morphogenesis. Synthetic biologists engineer genetic circuits with programmable delays for industrial and therapeutic applications.