# Gene regulatory and metabolic network structure, function and evolution

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER · 2021 · $819,335

## Abstract

Biological networks describe relationships between biomolecules. We study two types of biological
networks and the interactions between them. First, we characterize physical and functional gene
regulatory networks that are primary controllers of gene transcription during development and growth,
to maintain homeostasis and to respond to environmental cues and insults. We will expand our
studies on physical interactions between gene promoters and transcription factors in C. elegans to
focus on true functional, tissue-specific regulatory networks in vivo. This will involve the examination
of non-transcription factor regulators that affect transcription indirectly. Second, we study metabolic
networks that convert nutrients into biomass and energy. We will perform experiments to gain insight
into how metabolic networks are wired in different tissues and under different nutritional conditions. In
addition, we will continue to develop our WormFlux website to enable data integration and flux
balance analysis with selected parameters such as biomass composition and different objective
functions. Finally, and importantly, we study how gene regulatory networks affect metabolic networks
and vice versa. We will test how intestinal transcription is affected by perturbations in metabolic
genes. In addition, we will generate gene expression data under different conditions to examine how
gene expression changes influence metabolism. Our data will provide broad phenomenological and
deep mechanistic insights, as well as a set of resources for the larger community.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10159103
- **Project number:** 5R35GM122502-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MASSACHUSETTS MED SCH WORCESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** A. J. Marian Walhout
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $819,335
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10159103

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10159103, Gene regulatory and metabolic network structure, function and evolution (5R35GM122502-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10159103. Licensed CC0.

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