Title
Inferring signalling dynamics by integrating interventional with observational data.
Abstract
Motivation In order to infer a cell signalling network, we generally need interventional data from perturbation experiments. If the perturbation experiments are time-resolved, then signal progression through the network can be inferred. However, such designs are infeasible for large signalling networks, where it is more common to have steady-state perturbation data on the one hand, and a non-interventional time series on the other. Such was the design in a recent experiment investigating the coordination of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in murine mammary gland cells. We aimed to infer the underlying signalling network of transcription factors and microRNAs coordinating EMT, as well as the signal progression during EMT. Results In the context of nested effects models, we developed a method for integrating perturbation data with a non-interventional time series. We applied the model to RNA sequencing data obtained from an EMT experiment. Part of the network inferred from RNA interference was validated experimentally using luciferase reporter assays. Our model extension is formulated as an integer linear programme, which can be solved efficiently using heuristic algorithms. This extension allowed us to infer the signal progression through the network during an EMT time course, and thereby assess when each regulator is necessary for EMT to advance. Availability and implementation R package at https://github.com/cbg-ethz/timeseriesNEM. The RNA sequencing data and microscopy images can be explored through a Shiny app at https://emt.bsse.ethz.ch. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Year
DOI
Venue
2019
10.1093/bioinformatics/btz325
BIOINFORMATICS
Field
DocType
Volume
Data science,Data mining,Observational study,Signalling,Computer science
Journal
35
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
14
1367-4803
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Mathias Cardner100.34
Nathalie Meyer-Schaller200.34
Gerhard Christofori320.75
Niko Beerenwinkel4116.13