AtCAST, a tool for exploring gene expression similarities among DNA microarray experiments using networks

The comparison of gene expression profiles among DNA microarray experiments enables the identification of unknown relationships among experiments to uncover the underlying biological relationships. Despite the ongoing accumulation of data in public databases, detecting biological correlations among gene expression profiles from multiple laboratories on a large scale remains difficult. Here, we applied a module (sets of genes working in the same biological action)-based correlation analysis in combination with a network analysis to Arabidopsis data and developed a 'module-based correlation network' (MCN) which represents relationships among DNA microarray experiments on a large scale. We developed a Web-based data analysis tool, 'AtCAST' (Arabidopsis thaliana: DNA Microarray Correlation Analysis Tool), which enables browsing of an MCN or mining of users' microarray data by mapping the data into an MCN. AtCAST can help researchers to find novel connections among DNA microarray experiments, which in turn will help to build new hypotheses to uncover physiological mechanisms or gene functions in Arabidopsis.     

Evaluation of light regulatory potential of Calvin cycle steps based on large-scale gene expression profiling data

Although large-scale gene expression data have been studied from many perspectives, they have not been systematically integrated to infer the regulatory potentials of individual genes in specific pathways. Here we report the analysis of expression patterns of genes in the Calvin cycle from 95 Arabidopsis microarray experiments, which revealed a consistent gene regulation pattern in most experiments. This identified pattern, likely due to gene regulation by light rather than feedback regulations of the metabolite fluxes in the Calvin cycle, is remarkably consistent with the rate-limiting roles of the enzymes encoded by these genes reported from both experimental and modeling approaches. Therefore, the regulatory potential of the genes in a pathway may be inferred from their expression patterns. Furthermore, gene expression analysis in the context of a known pathway helps to categorize various biological perturbations that would not be recognized with the prevailing methods.