CausalBuilder: bringing the MI2CAST causal interaction annotation standard to the curator

Area of Science:

• Computational Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Systems Biology

Background:

• Molecular causal interactions are key for building regulatory computational models of biological systems.
• Assessing the relevance of these interactions requires detailed knowledge of biomolecules, interaction types, and biological context.
• Standardizing this knowledge representation is crucial for model accuracy and reproducibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce causalBuilder, a web-based interface for annotating molecular causal interactions.
• To ensure annotations comply with the Minimum Information about a Molecular Interaction Causal Statement (MI2CAST) standard.
• To provide an intuitive tool for curators and developers to generate standardized causal statements.

Main Methods:

• Development of an intuitive, web-based curation interface named causalBuilder.
• Embedding MI2CAST guidelines directly into the causalBuilder interface for ease of use.
• Application of the Visual Syntax Method for a configurable curation experience.
• Exporting generated causal statements in various formats.

Main Results:

• The causalBuilder prototype facilitates the annotation of molecular causal interactions according to MI2CAST standards.
• The interface simplifies adherence to MI2CAST rules for curators.
• It allows focused annotation by configuring selected MI2CAST concepts.
• Generated causal statements are accurate and exportable.

Conclusions:

• causalBuilder offers a standardized approach to curating molecular causal interactions.
• The tool enhances the creation of reliable computational models in systems biology.
• It promotes consistency and interoperability in biological data representation.