Gene regulation and the origin of cancer: a new model.

The genome is a dynamical system in which regulation is achieved by the algebraic logic of Boolean functions. A model of a webbed genetic network is presented. In this, all genes lie on interconnected loops, within which each can influence the others, forming the basis of a regulatory network. The normal proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes serve as gateways or switch points in the genetic circuitry, controlling the transition between different cell states. The model explains why multiple genes must be perturbed for the formation of a cancer.