scholarly journals DCI: learning causal differences between gene regulatory networks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasiya Belyaeva ◽  
Chandler Squires ◽  
Caroline Uhler
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Causal Inference ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Developmental Time ◽  
Supplementary Information ◽  
Causal Graph ◽  
Causal Graphs ◽  
Gene Regulatory

Abstract Summary Designing interventions to control gene regulation necessitates modeling a gene regulatory network by a causal graph. Currently, large-scale gene expression datasets from different conditions, cell types, disease states, and developmental time points are being collected. However, application of classical causal inference algorithms to infer gene regulatory networks based on such data is still challenging, requiring high sample sizes and computational resources. Here, we describe an algorithm that efficiently learns the differences in gene regulatory mechanisms between different conditions. Our difference causal inference (DCI) algorithm infers changes (i.e. edges that appeared, disappeared, or changed weight) between two causal graphs given gene expression data from the two conditions. This algorithm is efficient in its use of samples and computation since it infers the differences between causal graphs directly without estimating each possibly large causal graph separately. We provide a user-friendly Python implementation of DCI and also enable the user to learn the most robust difference causal graph across different tuning parameters via stability selection. Finally, we show how to apply DCI to single-cell RNA-seq data from different conditions and cell states, and we also validate our algorithm by predicting the effects of interventions. Availability and implementation Python package freely available at http://uhlerlab.github.io/causaldag/dci. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

scholarly journals DCI: Learning Causal Differences between Gene Regulatory Networks

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasiya Belyaeva ◽  
Chandler Squires ◽  
Caroline Uhler
Keyword(s):  
Causal Inference ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Developmental Time ◽  
Causal Graph ◽  
Disease States ◽  
Causal Graphs ◽  
Gene Regulatory

AbstractSummaryDesigning interventions to control gene regulation necessitates modeling a gene regulatory network by a causal graph. Currently, large-scale expression datasets from different conditions, cell types, disease states and developmental time points are being collected. However, application of classical causal inference algorithms to infer gene regulatory networks based on such data is still challenging, requiring high sample sizes and computational resources. Here, we propose an algorithm that efficiently learns the differences in gene regulatory mechanisms between different conditions. Our difference causal inference (DCI) algorithm infers changes (i.e., edges that appeared, disappeared or changed weight) between two causal graphs given gene expression data from the two conditions. This algorithm is efficient in its use of samples and computation since it infers the differences between causal graphs directly without estimating each possibly large causal graph separately. We provide a user-friendly Python implementation of DCI and also enable the user to learn the most robust difference causal graph across different tuning parameters via stability selection. Finally, we show how to apply DCI to bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data from different conditions and cell states, and we also validate our algorithm by predicting the effects of interventions.Availability and implementationAll algorithms are freely available as a Python package at http://uhlerlab.github.io/causaldag/[email protected]

scholarly journals Inference of differential gene regulatory networks based on gene expression and genetic perturbation data

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Zhou ◽  
Xiaodong Cai
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Supplementary Information ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Joint Inference ◽  
Perturbation Data ◽  
Gene Regulatory ◽  
The Difference

Abstract Motivation Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) of the same organism can be different under different conditions, although the overall network structure may be similar. Understanding the difference in GRNs under different conditions is important to understand condition-specific gene regulation. When gene expression and other relevant data under two different conditions are available, they can be used by an existing network inference algorithm to estimate two GRNs separately, and then to identify the difference between the two GRNs. However, such an approach does not exploit the similarity in two GRNs, and may sacrifice inference accuracy. Results In this paper, we model GRNs with the structural equation model (SEM) that can integrate gene expression and genetic perturbation data, and develop an algorithm named fused sparse SEM (FSSEM), to jointly infer GRNs under two conditions, and then to identify difference of the two GRNs. Computer simulations demonstrate that the FSSEM algorithm outperforms the approaches that estimate two GRNs separately. Analysis of a dataset of lung cancer and another dataset of gastric cancer with FSSEM inferred differential GRNs in cancer versus normal tissues, whose genes with largest network degrees have been reported to be implicated in tumorigenesis. The FSSEM algorithm provides a valuable tool for joint inference of two GRNs and identification of the differential GRN under two conditions. Availability and implementation The R package fssemR implementing the FSSEM algorithm is available at https://github.com/Ivis4ml/fssemR.git. It is also available on CRAN. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

scholarly journals Large-scale gene expression study in the ophiuroid Amphiura filiformis provides insights into evolution of gene regulatory networks

EvoDevo ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Viktor Dylus ◽  
Anna Czarkwiani ◽  
Josefine Stångberg ◽  
Olga Ortega-Martinez ◽  
Sam Dupont ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gene Expression Study ◽  
Expression Study ◽  
Amphiura Filiformis ◽  
Gene Regulatory

scholarly journals Scanpy for analysis of large-scale single-cell gene expression data

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Alexander Wolf ◽  
Philipp Angerer ◽  
Fabian J. Theis
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Gene Expression Data ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Expression Data ◽  
Cell Gene Expression ◽  
Gene Regulatory ◽  
Cell Gene

We present Scanpy, a scalable toolkit for analyzing single-cell gene expression data. It includes preprocessing, visualization, clustering, pseudotime and trajectory inference, differential expression testing and simulation of gene regulatory networks. The Python-based implementation efficiently deals with datasets of more than one million cells and enables easy interfacing of advanced machine learning packages. Code is available fromhttps://github.com/theislab/scanpy.

scholarly journals GRNdb: decoding the gene regulatory networks in diverse human and mouse conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (D1) ◽  
pp. D97-D103
Author(s):  
Li Fang ◽  
Yunjin Li ◽  
Lu Ma ◽  
Qiyue Xu ◽  
Fei Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Gene Expression Regulation ◽  
Expression Regulation ◽  
The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽  
Gene Regulatory ◽  
Human And Mouse

Abstract Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) formed by transcription factors (TFs) and their downstream target genes play essential roles in gene expression regulation. Moreover, GRNs can be dynamic changing across different conditions, which are crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. However, no existing database provides comprehensive GRN information for various human and mouse normal tissues and diseases at the single-cell level. Based on the known TF-target relationships and the large-scale single-cell RNA-seq data collected from public databases as well as the bulk data of The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Genotype-Tissue Expression project, we systematically predicted the GRNs of 184 different physiological and pathological conditions of human and mouse involving >633 000 cells and >27 700 bulk samples. We further developed GRNdb, a freely accessible and user-friendly database (http://www.grndb.com/) for searching, comparing, browsing, visualizing, and downloading the predicted information of 77 746 GRNs, 19 687 841 TF-target pairs, and related binding motifs at single-cell/bulk resolution. GRNdb also allows users to explore the gene expression profile, correlations, and the associations between expression levels and the patient survival of diverse cancers. Overall, GRNdb provides a valuable and timely resource to the scientific community to elucidate the functions and mechanisms of gene expression regulation in various conditions.

scholarly journals GATA-targeted compounds modulate cardiac subtype cell differentiation in dual reporter stem cell line

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mika J. Välimäki ◽  
Robert S. Leigh ◽  
Sini M. Kinnunen ◽  
Alexander R. March ◽  
Ana Hernández de Sande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Gene Regulatory Networks ◽  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Dual Reporter ◽  
Gene Regulatory ◽  
Reporter Gene Assays

AbstractBackgroundPharmacological modulation of cell fate decisions and developmental gene regulatory networks holds promise for the treatment of heart failure. Compounds that target tissue-specific transcription factors could overcome non-specific effects of small molecules and lead to the regeneration of heart muscle following myocardial infarction. Due to cellular heterogeneity in the heart, the activation of gene programs representing specific atrial and ventricular cardiomyocyte subtypes would be highly desirable. Chemical compounds that modulate atrial and ventricular cell fate could be used to improve subtype-specific differentiation of endogenous or exogenously delivered progenitor cells in order to promote cardiac regeneration.MethodsTranscription factor GATA4-targeted compounds that have previously shown in vivo efficacy in cardiac injury models were tested for stage-specific activation of atrial and ventricular reporter genes in differentiating pluripotent stem cells using a dual reporter assay. Chemically induced gene expression changes were characterized by qRT-PCR, global run-on sequencing (GRO-seq) and immunoblotting, and the network of cooperative proteins of GATA4 and NKX2-5 were further explored by the examination of the GATA4 and NKX2-5 interactome by BioID. Reporter gene assays were conducted to examine combinatorial effects of GATA-targeted compounds and bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibition on chamber-specific gene expression.ResultsGATA4-targeted compounds 3i-1000 and 3i-1103 were identified as differential modulators of atrial and ventricular gene expression. More detailed structure-function analysis revealed a distinct subclass of GATA4/NKX2-5 inhibitory compounds with an acetyl lysine-like domain that contributed to ventricular cells (%Myl2-eGFP+). Additionally, BioID analysis indicated broad interaction between GATA4 and BET family of proteins, such as BRD4. This indicated the involvement of epigenetic modulators in the regulation of GATA-dependent transcription. In this line, reporter gene assays with combinatorial treatment of 3i-1000 and the BET bromodomain inhibitor (+)-JQ1 demonstrated the cooperative role of GATA4 and BRD4 in the modulation of chamber-specific cardiac gene expression.ConclusionsCollectively, these results indicate the potential for therapeutic alteration of cell fate decisions and pathological gene regulatory networks by GATA4-targeted compounds modulating chamber-specific transcriptional programs in multipotent cardiac progenitor cells and cardiomyocytes. The compound scaffolds described within this study could be used to develop regenerative strategies for myocardial regeneration.

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