Sounds like modular design, to me.
How Science Is Rewriting the Book on Genes
The Washington Post | November 12, 2007 | David Brown
Posted on 11/12/2007 1:32:15 AM PST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924453/posts
Now: The Rest of the Genome
The New York Times | November 10, 2008 | Carl Zimmer
Posted on 11/10/2008 7:54:59 PM PST by Soliton
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2129810/posts