Transcript Orengo-10

From protein structure to function
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The particular catalytic activity, binding
properties or conformational changes of a
protein.
The complex, or metabolic or signal
transduction pathway in which a protein
participates
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Gene duplication – with two copies of a gene,
one can retain its function while the other can
assume a new biological role.
Gene fusion – two genes are combined and
activated by the same promoter
One Gene – to or more functions
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Post translational modifications
Alternate splicing
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With high throughput crystallization
techniques, structure can be determined more
easily than function
Conservation of Enzyme Function in CATH Domain Families
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SSAP score
Structural similarity (SSAP) score
100
Different Function
Same Function
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40
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sequence idenity (%)
Pairwise sequence identity
same functions
different functions
90
80
SSAP score
Structural similarity (SSAP) score
100
Different Function
Same Function
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40
0
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sequence idenity (%)
Pairwise sequence identity
same functions
different functions
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Build a interaction network
Model response of gene to changes in promoter
concentration
Simulate the system to determine influence of
gene product on system
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Complex systems of simple elements have
functions that emerge from the properties of
the networks they form.
Biological systems have functions that rely on a
combination of the network and the specific
elements involved.
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In molecular biology,
gene structure and
function is studied at
the molecular level.
In systems biology,
specific interactions of
components in the
biological system are
studied – cells, tissues,
organs, and ecological
webs.
Biological Systems are complex, thus, a
combination of experimental and
computational approaches are needed.
Linkages need to be made between molecular
characteristics and systems biology results
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Languages
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Systems Biology Markup Language
CellML
Systems Biology Workbench
Databases
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Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
Alliance for Cellular Signaling
Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment
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Protein 53
Guardian of the genome
Detects DNA damages
Halts the cell cycle if damage is detected to
give DNA time to repair itself
If (damage equals true and repairable =
true)
halt cell cycle
else
if(damage equals true and repairable =
false)
induce apoptosis (suicide)
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G1 - Growth and
preparation of the
chromosome
replication
S - DNA replication
G2 - Preparation for
Mitosis
M - Chromosomes
separate
ataxia-telangiectasia mutated
p53
activates
p21
deactivates
No cell cycle!
CDK
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Alkylating agents - interfere with cell division and affect the
cancer cells in all phases of their life cycle. They confuse the DNA
by directly reacting with it.
Antimetabolites - interfere with the cell's ability for normal
metabolism. They either give the cells wrong information or block
the formation of "building block" chemical reactions one phase of
the cell's life cycle.
Vinca alkaloids - (plant alkaloids) are naturally-occurring
chemicals that stop cell division in a specific phase.
Taxanes - are derived from natural substances in yew trees. They
disrupt a network inside cancer cells that is needed for the cells to
divide and grow.
all inhibit the cell cycle
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Once you have simulated gene regulatory
networks, build organ or organism models
NOBLE, D (2002) Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 3, 460-463.
Unravelling complexity
Need to work in an integrative way at all levels:
higher levels control
cell function &
pathways
organism
organ
tissue
cellular
sub-cellular
pathways
protein
gene
higher levels control
gene expression
There are feed-downs as well as upward between all these levels
Heart Model Construction 2000
Channels
Receptors
IK1 IK Ito
ICl
ICa
Ang II
ß1
M2
INa
Substrates
Glucose
NO
Fatty Acids
Ca
ATP
Amino Acids
pH
H/Lactate
I Na/K
I NaCa
Na/H
Na/HCO3
Carriers
Cl/OH
Cl/HCO3
Example of protein interaction in a cell model
Reconstructing the heart’s pacemaker
Sinus rhythm generated by ion channel interaction
Acceleration of sinus rhythm by adrenaline
Em
IKr
ICaL
Rhythm abolished when
interaction prevented
All 3 protein levels up-regulated
If is example of fail-safe ‘redundancy’
Disease insight
Modelling arrhythmias
Mutations in various ionic channels can
predispose to repolarization failure
This simulation is of a sodium channel
mis-sense mutation responsible for
idiopathic ventricular fibrillation
Expressed sodium channel kinetics
(Chen et al, Nature, 19 March 1998)
Computer model prediction
• Sodium channel missense mutation
• 12 and 18 mV voltage shifts
• Using digital cell ventricular model
12
18 mV
mV
shift
shift
Unravelling genetics of arrhythmia
This approach has now been used for a substantial number
of gene manipulations in heart cells and can account for
genetic susceptibility to fatal cardiac arrhythmia
Including interactions with drugs causing long QT and
arrhythmia in clinical trials
Genetic typing to screen out those susceptible to drugs causing
QT problems is therefore a foreseeable possibility
Noble D (2002) Unravelling the genetics and mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmia.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99, 5755-6
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http://thevirtualheart.org
http://www.math.nyu.edu/~griffith/heart_anim
Systems biology and the heart
Modeling the Heart--from Genes to Cells to the
Whole Organ
http://domino.research.ibm.com/comm/research_
projects.nsf/pages/cancermodeling.index.html