JCVI: The Complexity of Simplicity
 
 
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Citation

Peterson, S. N., Fraser, C. M.

The Complexity of Simplicity

Genome Biol. 2001 Feb 08; 2(2): COMMENT2002.

PubMed Citation

Abstract

What is the minimum number of genes or functions necessary to support cellular life? The concept of a 'minimal genome' has become popular, but is it a useful concept, and if so, what might a minimal genome encode? We argue that the concept may be useful, even though the goal of defining a general minimal genome may never be attained.