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VirusMentha: a new resource for virus-host protein interactions
Alberto Calderone1, Luana Licata2, Gianni Cesareni3
1Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy sinnefa@gmail.com.
Nucleic Acids Research
|September 14, 2014
Summary
VirusMentha is a new resource detailing virus-host and virus-virus interactions, crucial for understanding viral diseases and developing antiviral therapies. It builds upon VirusMINT, offering expanded coverage and weekly updates for researchers.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Viral infections disrupt host cellular processes by altering protein interactions.
- Understanding these virus-host interactions is vital for virology research and antiviral drug development.
- Previous resources like VirusMINT provided initial insights into these interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish VirusMentha, an expanded and updated resource for virus-virus and virus-host interactions.
- To improve the scope and coverage of available interaction data.
- To provide a freely accessible and regularly updated platform for researchers.
Main Methods:
- Developed VirusMentha by extending the VirusMINT resource.
- Integrated curation protocols from the IMEx consortium and mentha strategies.
- Utilized the PSICQUIC protocol for weekly automatic updates from five IMEx databases.
Main Results:
- Established VirusMentha, a comprehensive resource for virus-virus and virus-host interactions.
- Implemented automated weekly updates ensuring data freshness.
- Provided a browsable web interface and downloadable dataset.
Conclusions:
- VirusMentha significantly enhances the study of viral interactions.
- The resource facilitates basic virology research and the discovery of antiviral strategies.
- Regular updates and accessibility promote widespread use in the scientific community.
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