Creative elements: network-based predictions of active centres in proteins and cellular and social networks

Abstract

Active centres and hot spots of proteins have a paramount importance in enzyme action, protein-complex formation and drug design. Recently, several publications successfully applied the analysis of residue networks to predict active centres in proteins. Most real-world networks show several properties, such as small-worldness or scale-free degree distribution, which are rather general features of networks, from molecules to society at large. Using analogy, I propose that existing findings and methodology already enable us to detect active centres in cells and can be expanded to social networks and ecosystems. Members of these active centres are termed here as 'creative elements' of their respective networks, which can help them to survive unprecedented, novel challenges and play a key part in the development, survival and evolvability of complex systems.