IRIS3: integrated cell-type-specific regulon inference server from single-cell RNA-Seq

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Computational Biology
• Systems Biology

Background:

• Regulons are gene groups controlled by common regulators.
• Identifying cell-type-specific regulons (CTSRs) is crucial for understanding cell function and disease.
• Computational challenges exist in inferring CTSRs from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce IRIS3, a novel web server for inferring CTSRs from scRNA-Seq data.
• To provide a user-friendly platform with extensive functionalities for CTSR analysis and visualization.
• To facilitate the discovery of regulatory mechanisms and gene networks in specific cell types.

Main Methods:

• Development of the IRIS3 web server.
• Utilizes scRNA-Seq data for CTSR inference in human and mouse.
• Incorporates over 20 functionalities for data interpretation and visualization.

Main Results:

• IRIS3 is the first web server dedicated to CTSR inference from scRNA-Seq data.
• The server offers comprehensive tools for analyzing and visualizing CTSRs.
• Identified CTSRs can reliably characterize cell types and aid in biomedical research.

Conclusions:

• IRIS3 simplifies the identification of CTSRs, overcoming computational challenges.
• CTSRs derived from IRIS3 can advance the study of complex diseases, gene regulatory networks, and drug development.
• IRIS3 is freely accessible, promoting broader application in biological research.