  The cell cycle is a tightly controlled process, yet its underlying genetic
network shows marked differences across species. Which of the associated
structural features follow solely from the ability to impose the appropriate
gene expression patterns? We tackle this question in silico by examining the
ensemble of all regulatory networks which satisfy the constraint of producing a
given sequence of gene expressions. We focus on three cell cycle profiles
coming from baker's yeast, fission yeast and mammals. First, we show that the
networks in each of the ensembles use just a few interactions that are
repeatedly reused as building blocks. Second, we find an enrichment in network
motifs that is similar in the two yeast cell cycle systems investigated. These
motifs do not have autonomous functions, but nevertheless they reveal a
regulatory logic for cell cycling based on a feed-forward cascade of activating
interactions.
