PRELIMINARY ABSTRACT: --------------------- A new local move operator for reconstructing gene regulatory networks Jimmy Vandel and Simon De Givry Keywords: Structure learning, Bayesian networks, Local search, Comet, Gene regulation, Genetical genomics Abstract: The discovery of regulatory networks is an important aspect in the post genomic research. Among structure learning approaches we are interested in local search methods in the Bayesian network framework. We propose a new local move operator to escape more effciently from local maxima in the search space of directed acyclic graphs. This operator allows to overtake the acyclic constraint of Bayesian networks and authorizes local moves previously banned with classic operators. First result shows improvement of learned network quality. Our algorithm uses Comet environment providing abstraction for local search and constraint programming.