  Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) consisting of combinations of transcription
factors (TFs) and their cis promoters are assumed to be sufficient to direct
the development of organisms. Mutations in GRNs are assumed to be the primary
drivers for the evolution of multicellular life. Here it is proven that neither
of these assumptions is correct. They are inconsistent with fundamental
principles of combinatorics of bounded encoded networks. It is shown there are
inherent complexity and control capacity limits for any gene regulatory network
that is based solely on protein coding genes such as transcription factors.
This result has significant practical consequences for understanding
development, evolution, the Cambrian Explosion, as well as multi-cellular
diseases such as cancer. If the arguments are sound, then genes cannot explain
the development of complex multicellular organisms and genes cannot explain the
evolution of complex multicellular life.
