RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Geometric models for robust encoding of dynamical information into embryonic patterns JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2020.01.21.914598 DO 10.1101/2020.01.21.914598 A1 Laurent Jutras-Dubé A1 Ezzat El-Sherif A1 Paul François YR 2020 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/07/14/2020.01.21.914598.abstract AB During development, cells gradually assume specialized fates via changes of transcriptional dynamics, sometimes even within the same developmental stage. For anterior-posterior (AP) patterning in metazoans, it has been suggested that the gradual transition from a dynamic genetic regime to a static one is encoded by different transcriptional modules. In that case, the static regime has an essential role in pattern formation in addition to its maintenance function. In this work, we introduce a geometric approach to study such transition. We exhibit two types of genetic regime transitions, respectively arising through local or global bifurcations. We find that the global bifurcation type is more generic, more robust, and better preserves dynamical information. This could parsimoniously explain common features of metazoan segmentation, such as changes of periods leading to waves of gene expressions, “speed/frequency-gradient” dynamics, and changes of wave patterns. Geometric approaches appear as possible alternatives to gene regulatory networks to understand development.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.