It allows for the reconstruction of metabolic pathways and uncovering of metabolic networks. (macumbaproject.eu)
In biological systems in particular, this scale ‐ free addition of new nodes is likely a consequence of gene duplication (Qian et al, 2001), and is also affected by alternate splicing and posttranslational modification in protein networks (Qian et al, 2001; Bhan et al, 2002; Pastor ‐ Satorras et al, 2003; Vazquez et al, 2003), as well as the variable chemical versatility of the metabolic intermediates in metabolic networks. (msb.embopress.org)
Barve and Wagner produced 500 new metabolic networks, each the result of 5,000 swaps. (scientificamerican.com)