Active module identification from multilayer weighted gene co-expression networks: a continuous optimization approach

Dong Li, Zhisong Pan, Guyu Hu, Graham Anderson, Shan He

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Abstract

Searching for active modules, i.e., regions showing striking changes in molecular activity in biological networks is important to reveal regulatory and signaling mechanisms of biological systems. Most existing active modules identification methods are based on protein-protein interaction networks or metabolic networks, which require comprehensive and accurate prior knowledge. On the other hand, weighted gene coexpression networks (WGCNs) are purely constructed from gene expression profiles. However, existing WGCN analysis methods are designed for identifying functional modules but not capable of identifying active modules. There is an urgent need to develop an active module identification algorithm for WGCNs to discover regulatory and signaling mechanism associating with a given cellular response. To address this urgent need, we propose a novel algorithm called active modules on the multi-layer weighted (coexpression gene) network, based on a continuous optimization approach (AMOUNTAIN). The algorithm is capable of identifying active modules not only from single-layer WGCNs but also from multilayer WGCNs such as cross-species and dynamic WGCNs. We first validate AMOUNTAIN on a synthetic benchmark dataset. We then apply AMOUNTAIN to WGCNs constructed from Th17 differentiation gene expression datasets of human and mouse, which include a single layer, a crossspecies two-layer and a multilayer dynamic WGCNs. The identified active modules from WGCNs are enriched by known protein-protein interactions, and more importantly, they reveal some interesting and important regulatory and signaling mechanisms of Th17 cell differentiation.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages10
JournalIEEE/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Early online date30 Jan 2020
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 30 Jan 2020

Keywords

  • Active modules
  • gene co-expression networks
  • continuous optimization
  • Th17 cell differentiation

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