Protein-protein interactions Flashcards
What is protein-protein interaction?
(PPIs) involve physical contact between proteins, playing a pivotal role in cellular functions. Importance: PPIs contribute to signal transduction, metabolic
pathways, and various biological processes.
Why are PPIs crucial for unraveling the complexity of cellular
processes?
PPIs provide insights into the functional relationships between proteins. Proteins
Mapping PPIs helps in identifying the components of these pathways and how they interconnect, thereby revealing the flow of signals within cells
Studying PPIs can uncover abnormal interactions associated with diseases such as cancer
Identifying PPIs can pinpoint potential drug targets.
The Significance of Protein-Protein
Interactions?
Cellular Coordination: PPIs enable coordination among different
proteins, ensuring synchronized cellular activities.
Functional Implications: Understanding PPIs provides insights
into protein functions, pathways, and regulatory mechanisms.
Network Dynamics: Cellular activities are a result of intricate
networks formed by numerous PPIs.
Dynamic Interactions: PPI networks adapt and change based
on cellular conditions.
What are nodes, edges and clusters in PPI?
Nodes: each node represents all the proteins produced by a single, protein-coding gene locus (In STRING, nodes represent proteins or protein-coding genes. Each protein or gene is represented as a node in the interaction network.)
Edges: Edges represent protein-protein associations. These interactions are typically based on experimental data, computational predictions, or curated databases. An edge between two nodes (proteins) indicates that there is evidence suggesting these proteins physically interact or are functionally linked in some way.
clusters in STRING refer to groups or modules of proteins that are densely interconnected within the interaction network Clustering helps in identifying functional units or biological modules within the larger protein interaction network
