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Bridging the Gap between Genotype and Phenotype via Network Approaches.
Yoo-Ah Kim1, Teresa M Przytycka
1National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine Bethesda, MD, USA.
Frontiers in Genetics
|June 12, 2013
Summary
Network-based computational methods are advancing our understanding of how genetic variations influence complex traits and diseases. While these approaches help bridge the genotype-phenotype gap, they do not yet fully elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Computational Biology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variations linked to complex traits and diseases.
- Discoveries from GWAS necessitate methods to understand the molecular mechanisms connecting genotype to phenotype.
- A gap remains in translating genetic associations into detailed biological understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent network-based computational methods for bridging the genotype-phenotype gap.
- To assess the utility of pathway-centric approaches in understanding molecular mechanisms.
- To highlight the current limitations in fully explaining genotype-phenotype relationships.
Main Methods:
- Survey of recently developed network-based computational approaches.
- Focus on methods utilizing gene and gene product interaction data.
- Analysis of pathway-centric strategies in bioinformatics.
Main Results:
- Network-based methods offer a promising approach to connect genotype and phenotype data.
- These computational strategies leverage known or predicted gene interactions.
- Current methods show progress in narrowing the genotype-phenotype gap.
Conclusions:
- Network-based computational methods are valuable tools for exploring genotype-phenotype relationships.
- These approaches aid in understanding potential molecular pathways involved in complex traits.
- Significant challenges remain in fully elucidating the precise molecular mechanisms underlying these associations.
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