An exploration of alternative visualisations of the basic helix-loop-helix protein interaction network

Holden, B. J., Pinney, J. W., Lovell, S. C., Amoutzias, G. D. and Robertson, D. L. (2007) An exploration of alternative visualisations of the basic helix-loop-helix protein interaction network. BMC Bioinformatics, 8, 289. (doi: 10.1186/1471-2105-8-289) (PMID:17683601) (PMCID:PMC1963338)

Abstract

Background: Alternative representations of biochemical networks emphasise different aspects of the data and contribute to the understanding of complex biological systems. In this study we present a variety of automated methods for visualisation of a protein-protein interaction network, using the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors as an example. Results: Network representations that arrange nodes (proteins) according to either continuous or discrete information are investigated, revealing the existence of protein sub-families and the retention of interactions following gene duplication events. Methods of network visualisation in conjunction with a phylogenetic tree are presented, highlighting the evolutionary relationships between proteins, and clarifying the context of network hubs and interaction clusters. Finally, an optimisation technique is used to create a three-dimensional layout of the phylogenetic tree upon which the protein-protein interactions may be projected. Conclusion: We show that by incorporating secondary genomic, functional or phylogenetic information into network visualisation, it is possible to move beyond simple layout algorithms based on network topology towards more biologically meaningful representations. These new visualisations can give structure to complex networks and will greatly help in interpreting their evolutionary origins and functional implications. Three open source software packages (InterView, TVi and OptiMage) implementing our methods are available.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Robertson, Professor David
• Authors: Holden, B. J., Pinney, J. W., Lovell, S. C., Amoutzias, G. D., and Robertson, D. L.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Journal Name: BMC Bioinformatics
• Publisher: Biomed Central
• ISSN: 1471-2105
• ISSN (Online): 1471-2105
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2007 Holden et al.
• First Published: First published in BMC Bioinformatics 8: 289
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License