An information-theoretic model suggesting genetic regulatory system degradation under climate change

Abstract Does climate change influence on genetic regulatory systems? Previous studies on genetic regulatory systems have focused on specific systems and environmental stimuli. We elucidate a causal relationship for a ‘minimal’ genetic regulatory system in environmental changes. This model is independent of the types of signal transmitting molecules, kinetics, and environmental stimuli. Novel inequalities based on the model indicate: (i) an information-theoretic quantity mutual information between the number of catalytic molecules and product molecules catalyzed decreases in the genetic regulatory system in response to climate change; (ii) the genetic regulatory system is degraded from the level of closed-to open-loop control systems in response to climate change. We relate the relationships suggested by the inequalities to interpretation of soybean omics data collected under an experimental condition of flooding. We manifest a mathematical framework for designing genetic modification strategy to mitigate the effect of the climate change on genetic regulatory systems. Our model suggests genetic regulatory system degradation, which is unavoidable, in the progression of climatic change.