Networks in bioinformatics

Abstract

Networks of biological components are common in the life sciences. The annotation of such networks with experimental data and biological knowledge gives rise to a rich, though generally incomplete, semantics of a real biological phenomenon. One tool for investigating such networks is microarray technology, a modern window into patterns of gene expression in cells. Current bioinformatics work on gene expression data address mechanisms underlying successful responses to drought stress in plants, which naturally leads to problems involving biological networks. Some biological context precedes a discussion of these problems.