Article,
Gene expression analysis, proteomics, and network discovery.
Plant physiology, 152 (2): 402--410 (Feb 11, 2010)
DOI: 10.1104/pp.109.150433
Abstract
Technological advances in biological experimentation are now enabling researchers to investigate living systems on an unprecedented scale by studying genomes, proteomes or molecular networks in their entirety. Genomics technologies have led to a paradigm shift in biological experimentation because they measure ("profile") most or even all components of one class (e.g. transcripts, proteins etc.) in a highly parallel way. Whether gene expression analysis using microarrays, proteome and metabolome analysis using mass-spectrometry or large-scale screens for genetic interactions, high-throughput profiling technologies provide a rich source of quantitative biological information that allows researchers to move beyond a reductionist approach by both integrating and understanding interactions between multiple components in cells and organisms (Figure 1; for a recent update of bioinformatics tools see Plitzschke and Hirt, 2009). Currently, most genomics experiments involve profiling transcripts, proteins or metabolites. Increasing efforts to complement molecular data with phenotypic information will further advance our understanding of the quantitative relationships between molecules in directing systems behavior and function. In the following update we will briefly review recent advances in the field and highlight advantages and limitations of current approaches to develop models of genetic and molecular networks that aim to describe emergent properties of plant systems. 10.1104/pp.109.150433
