Reverse engineers map the molecular switching yards

Networks and pathways are usually regulated and controlled by feedback and feed-forward control – whether the directional behaviors are well understood or not. The consequences and practical opportunities of characterizing and elucidating networks offer enormous potential for biology, medicine and biotechnology. The recent paper by Yeung et al. stands as a fine example of practical reverse engineering method. Soon, tools for reverse engineering molecular networks will hold key positions in the methodological cornucopia.