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Mutsuddy A, Huggins JR, Amrit A, Erdem C, Calhoun JC, Birtwistle MR. Mechanistic modeling of cell viability assays with in silico lineage tracing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.23.609433. [PMID: 39253474 PMCID: PMC11383287 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.23.609433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Data from cell viability assays, which measure cumulative division and death events in a population and reflect substantial cellular heterogeneity, are widely available. However, interpreting such data with mechanistic computational models is hindered because direct model/data comparison is often muddled. We developed an algorithm that tracks simulated division and death events in mechanistically detailed single-cell lineages to enable such a model/data comparison and suggest causes of cell-cell drug response variability. Using our previously developed model of mammalian single-cell proliferation and death signaling, we simulated drug dose response experiments for four targeted anti-cancer drugs (alpelisib, neratinib, trametinib and palbociclib) and compared them to experimental data. Simulations are consistent with data for strong growth inhibition by trametinib (MEK inhibitor) and overall lack of efficacy for alpelisib (PI-3K inhibitor), but are inconsistent with data for palbociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor) and neratinib (EGFR inhibitor). Model/data inconsistencies suggest (i) the importance of CDK4/6 for driving the cell cycle may be overestimated, and (ii) that the cellular balance between basal (tonic) and ligand-induced signaling is a critical determinant of receptor inhibitor response. Simulations show subpopulations of rapidly and slowly dividing cells in both control and drug-treated conditions. Variations in mother cells prior to drug treatment all impinging on ERK pathway activity are associated with the rapidly dividing phenotype and trametinib resistance. This work lays a foundation for the application of mechanistic modeling to large-scale cell viability assay datasets and better understanding determinants of cellular heterogeneity in drug response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Mutsuddy
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Jonah R Huggins
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Aurore Amrit
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Cemal Erdem
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jon C Calhoun
- Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Marc R Birtwistle
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
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2
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Wytock TP, Motter AE. Cell reprogramming design by transfer learning of functional transcriptional networks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312942121. [PMID: 38437548 PMCID: PMC10945810 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312942121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in synthetic biology, next-generation sequencing, and machine learning provide an unprecedented opportunity to rationally design new disease treatments based on measured responses to gene perturbations and drugs to reprogram cells. The main challenges to seizing this opportunity are the incomplete knowledge of the cellular network and the combinatorial explosion of possible interventions, both of which are insurmountable by experiments. To address these challenges, we develop a transfer learning approach to control cell behavior that is pre-trained on transcriptomic data associated with human cell fates, thereby generating a model of the network dynamics that can be transferred to specific reprogramming goals. The approach combines transcriptional responses to gene perturbations to minimize the difference between a given pair of initial and target transcriptional states. We demonstrate our approach's versatility by applying it to a microarray dataset comprising >9,000 microarrays across 54 cell types and 227 unique perturbations, and an RNASeq dataset consisting of >10,000 sequencing runs across 36 cell types and 138 perturbations. Our approach reproduces known reprogramming protocols with an AUROC of 0.91 while innovating over existing methods by pre-training an adaptable model that can be tailored to specific reprogramming transitions. We show that the number of gene perturbations required to steer from one fate to another increases with decreasing developmental relatedness and that fewer genes are needed to progress along developmental paths than to regress. These findings establish a proof-of-concept for our approach to computationally design control strategies and provide insights into how gene regulatory networks govern phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Wytock
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- Center for Network Dynamics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
| | - Adilson E. Motter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- Center for Network Dynamics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology, Evanston, IL60208
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3
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Wytock TP, Motter AE. Cell reprogramming design by transfer learning of functional transcriptional networks. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2403.04837v1. [PMID: 38495570 PMCID: PMC10942484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Recent developments in synthetic biology, next-generation sequencing, and machine learning provide an unprecedented opportunity to rationally design new disease treatments based on measured responses to gene perturbations and drugs to reprogram cell behavior. The main challenges to seizing this opportunity are the incomplete knowledge of the cellular network and the combinatorial explosion of possible interventions, both of which are insurmountable by experiments. To address these challenges, we develop a transfer learning approach to control cell behavior that is pre-trained on transcriptomic data associated with human cell fates to generate a model of the functional network dynamics that can be transferred to specific reprogramming goals. The approach additively combines transcriptional responses to gene perturbations (single-gene knockdowns and overexpressions) to minimize the transcriptional difference between a given pair of initial and target states. We demonstrate the flexibility of our approach by applying it to a microarray dataset comprising over 9,000 microarrays across 54 cell types and 227 unique perturbations, and an RNASeq dataset consisting of over 10,000 sequencing runs across 36 cell types and 138 perturbations. Our approach reproduces known reprogramming protocols with an average AUROC of 0.91 while innovating over existing methods by pre-training an adaptable model that can be tailored to specific reprogramming transitions. We show that the number of gene perturbations required to steer from one fate to another increases as the developmental relatedness decreases. We also show that fewer genes are needed to progress along developmental paths than to regress. Together, these findings establish a proof-of-concept for our approach to computationally design control strategies and demonstrate their ability to provide insights into the dynamics of gene regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P Wytock
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Center for Network Dynamics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Adilson E Motter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Center for Network Dynamics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- National Institute for Theory and Mathematics in Biology, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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4
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Chew YH, Marucci L. Mechanistic Model-Driven Biodesign in Mammalian Synthetic Biology. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2774:71-84. [PMID: 38441759 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3718-0_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Mathematical modeling plays a vital role in mammalian synthetic biology by providing a framework to design and optimize design circuits and engineered bioprocesses, predict their behavior, and guide experimental design. Here, we review recent models used in the literature, considering mathematical frameworks at the molecular, cellular, and system levels. We report key challenges in the field and discuss opportunities for genome-scale models, machine learning, and cybergenetics to expand the capabilities of model-driven mammalian cell biodesign.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Hoon Chew
- School of Mathematics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Lucia Marucci
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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5
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Ghaemi Z, Nafiu O, Tajkhorshid E, Gruebele M, Hu J. A computational spatial whole-Cell model for hepatitis B viral infection and drug interactions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21392. [PMID: 38049515 PMCID: PMC10695947 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45998-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a vaccine, hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a world-wide source of infections and deaths. We develop a whole-cell computational platform combining spatial and kinetic models describing the infection cycle of HBV in a hepatocyte host. We simulate key parts of the infection cycle with this whole-cell platform for 10 min of biological time, to predict infection progression, map out virus-host and virus-drug interactions. We find that starting from an established infection, decreasing the copy number of the viral envelope proteins shifts the dominant infection pathway from capsid secretion to re-importing the capsids into the nucleus, resulting in more nuclear-localized viral covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and boosting transcription. This scenario can mimic the consequence of drugs designed to manipulate viral gene expression. Mutating capsid proteins facilitates capsid destabilization and disassembly at nuclear pore complexes, resulting in an increase in cccDNA copy number. However, excessive destabilization leads to premature cytoplasmic disassembly and does not increase the cccDNA counts. Finally, our simulations can predict the best drug dosage and its administration timing to reduce the cccDNA counts. Our adaptable computational platform can be parameterized to study other viruses and identify the most central viral pathways that can be targeted by drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaleh Ghaemi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Quantitative Cell Biology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Oluwadara Nafiu
- Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Quantitative Cell Biology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Martin Gruebele
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Quantitative Cell Biology, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Jianming Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
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6
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Kaizu K, Takahashi K. Technologies for whole-cell modeling: Genome-wide reconstruction of a cell in silico. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:554-564. [PMID: 37856476 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
With advances in high-throughput, large-scale in vivo measurement and genome modification techniques at the single-nucleotide level, there is an increasing demand for the development of new technologies for the flexible design and control of cellular systems. Computer-aided design is a powerful tool to design new cells. Whole-cell modeling aims to integrate various cellular subsystems, determine their interactions and cooperative mechanisms, and predict comprehensive cellular behaviors by computational simulations on a genome-wide scale. It has been applied to prokaryotes, yeasts, and higher eukaryotic cells, and utilized in a wide range of applications, including production of valuable substances, drug discovery, and controlled differentiation. Whole-cell modeling, consisting of several thousand elements with diverse scales and properties, requires innovative model construction, simulation, and analysis techniques. Furthermore, whole-cell modeling has been extended to multiple scales, including high-resolution modeling at the single-nucleotide and single-amino acid levels and multicellular modeling of tissues and organs. This review presents an overview of the current state of whole-cell modeling, discusses the novel computational and experimental technologies driving it, and introduces further developments toward multihierarchical modeling on a whole-genome scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazunari Kaizu
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka, Japan
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7
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Context-Specific Genome-Scale Metabolic Modelling and Its Application to the Analysis of COVID-19 Metabolic Signatures. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13010126. [PMID: 36677051 PMCID: PMC9866716 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) have found numerous applications in different domains, ranging from biotechnology to systems medicine. Herein, we overview the most popular algorithms for the automated reconstruction of context-specific GEMs using high-throughput experimental data. Moreover, we describe different datasets applied in the process, and protocols that can be used to further automate the model reconstruction and validation. Finally, we describe recent COVID-19 applications of context-specific GEMs, focusing on the analysis of metabolic implications, identification of biomarkers and potential drug targets.
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8
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Loconte V, Chen J, Vanslembrouck B, Ekman AA, McDermott G, Le Gros MA, Larabell CA. Soft X-ray tomograms provide a structural basis for whole-cell modeling. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22681. [PMID: 36519968 PMCID: PMC10107707 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200253r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Developing in silico models that accurately reflect a whole, functional cell is an ongoing challenge in biology. Current efforts bring together mathematical models, probabilistic models, visual representations, and data to create a multi-scale description of cellular processes. A realistic whole-cell model requires imaging data since it provides spatial constraints and other critical cellular characteristics that are still impossible to obtain by calculation alone. This review introduces Soft X-ray Tomography (SXT) as a powerful imaging technique to visualize and quantify the mesoscopic (~25 nm spatial scale) organelle landscape in whole cells. SXT generates three-dimensional reconstructions of cellular ultrastructure and provides a measured structural framework for whole-cell modeling. Combining SXT with data from disparate technologies at varying spatial resolutions provides further biochemical details and constraints for modeling cellular mechanisms. We conclude, based on the results discussed here, that SXT provides a foundational dataset for a broad spectrum of whole-cell modeling experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Loconte
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jian‐Hua Chen
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Bieke Vanslembrouck
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Axel A. Ekman
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Gerry McDermott
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mark A. Le Gros
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Carolyn A. Larabell
- Department of AnatomyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging DivisionLawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- National Center for X‐ray TomographyAdvanced Light SourceBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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9
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Erdem C, Mutsuddy A, Bensman EM, Dodd WB, Saint-Antoine MM, Bouhaddou M, Blake RC, Gross SM, Heiser LM, Feltus FA, Birtwistle MR. A scalable, open-source implementation of a large-scale mechanistic model for single cell proliferation and death signaling. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3555. [PMID: 35729113 PMCID: PMC9213456 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31138-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic models of how single cells respond to different perturbations can help integrate disparate big data sets or predict response to varied drug combinations. However, the construction and simulation of such models have proved challenging. Here, we developed a python-based model creation and simulation pipeline that converts a few structured text files into an SBML standard and is high-performance- and cloud-computing ready. We applied this pipeline to our large-scale, mechanistic pan-cancer signaling model (named SPARCED) and demonstrate it by adding an IFNγ pathway submodel. We then investigated whether a putative crosstalk mechanism could be consistent with experimental observations from the LINCS MCF10A Data Cube that IFNγ acts as an anti-proliferative factor. The analyses suggested this observation can be explained by IFNγ-induced SOCS1 sequestering activated EGF receptors. This work forms a foundational recipe for increased mechanistic model-based data integration on a single-cell level, an important building block for clinically-predictive mechanistic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cemal Erdem
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.
| | - Arnab Mutsuddy
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Ethan M Bensman
- Computer Science, School of Computing, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - William B Dodd
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Michael M Saint-Antoine
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Mehdi Bouhaddou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert C Blake
- Center for Applied Scientific Computing, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
| | - Sean M Gross
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Laura M Heiser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - F Alex Feltus
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Biomedical Data Science and Informatics Program, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Center for Human Genetics, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Marc R Birtwistle
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.
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10
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Rajagopal V, Arumugam S, Hunter PJ, Khadangi A, Chung J, Pan M. The Cell Physiome: What Do We Need in a Computational Physiology Framework for Predicting Single-Cell Biology? Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2022; 5:341-366. [PMID: 35576556 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-072018-021246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Modern biology and biomedicine are undergoing a big data explosion, needing advanced computational algorithms to extract mechanistic insights on the physiological state of living cells. We present the motivation for the Cell Physiome project: a framework and approach for creating, sharing, and using biophysics-based computational models of single-cell physiology. Using examples in calcium signaling, bioenergetics, and endosomal trafficking, we highlight the need for spatially detailed, biophysics-based computational models to uncover new mechanisms underlying cell biology. We review progress and challenges to date toward creating cell physiome models. We then introduce bond graphs as an efficient way to create cell physiome models that integrate chemical, mechanical, electromagnetic, and thermal processes while maintaining mass and energy balance. Bond graphs enhance modularization and reusability of computational models of cells at scale. We conclude with a look forward at steps that will help fully realize this exciting new field of mechanistic biomedical data science. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science, Volume 5 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Rajagopal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;
| | - Senthil Arumugam
- Cellular Physiology Lab, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; European Molecular Biological Laboratory (EMBL) Australia; and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton/Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter J Hunter
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Afshin Khadangi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;
| | - Joshua Chung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;
| | - Michael Pan
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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11
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Shaikh B, Smith LP, Vasilescu D, Marupilla G, Wilson M, Agmon E, Agnew H, Andrews SS, Anwar A, Beber ME, Bergmann FT, Brooks D, Brusch L, Calzone L, Choi K, Cooper J, Detloff J, Drawert B, Dumontier M, Ermentrout G, Faeder J, Freiburger A, Fröhlich F, Funahashi A, Garny A, Gennari J, Gleeson P, Goelzer A, Haiman Z, Hasenauer J, Hellerstein J, Hermjakob H, Hoops S, Ison J, Jahn D, Jakubowski H, Jordan R, Kalaš M, König M, Liebermeister W, Sheriff RM, Mandal S, McDougal R, Medley J, Mendes P, Müller R, Myers C, Naldi A, Nguyen TVN, Nickerson D, Olivier B, Patoliya D, Paulevé L, Petzold L, Priya A, Rampadarath A, Rohwer JM, Saglam A, Singh D, Sinha A, Snoep J, Sorby H, Spangler R, Starruß J, Thomas P, van Niekerk D, Weindl D, Zhang F, Zhukova A, Goldberg A, Schaff J, Blinov M, Sauro H, Moraru I, Karr J. BioSimulators: a central registry of simulation engines and services for recommending specific tools. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:W108-W114. [PMID: 35524558 PMCID: PMC9252793 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Computational models have great potential to accelerate bioscience, bioengineering, and medicine. However, it remains challenging to reproduce and reuse simulations, in part, because the numerous formats and methods for simulating various subsystems and scales remain siloed by different software tools. For example, each tool must be executed through a distinct interface. To help investigators find and use simulation tools, we developed BioSimulators (https://biosimulators.org), a central registry of the capabilities of simulation tools and consistent Python, command-line and containerized interfaces to each version of each tool. The foundation of BioSimulators is standards, such as CellML, SBML, SED-ML and the COMBINE archive format, and validation tools for simulation projects and simulation tools that ensure these standards are used consistently. To help modelers find tools for particular projects, we have also used the registry to develop recommendation services. We anticipate that BioSimulators will help modelers exchange, reproduce, and combine simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Shaikh
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | - Dan Vasilescu
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | | | - Michael Wilson
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Eran Agmon
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | | | - Azraf Anwar
- New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | | | | | - David Brooks
- University of Auckland, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lutz Brusch
- Technical University of Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Kiri Choi
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, 02455 Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joshua Cooper
- University of North Carolina, Asheville, Ashville, NC 28804, USA
| | | | - Brian Drawert
- University of North Carolina, Asheville, Ashville, NC 28804, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alan Garny
- University of Auckland, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Anne Goelzer
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, MaIAGE, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Zachary Haiman
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | | | - Henning Hermjakob
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Stefan Hoops
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Jon C Ison
- CNRS, UMS 3601, Institut Français de Bioinformatique, IFB-core, 91000 Évry-Courcouronnes, France
| | - Diego Jahn
- Technical University of Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Henry V Jakubowski
- College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, St. Joseph, MN 56374, USA
| | - Ryann Jordan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | | | | | - Rahuman S Malik Sheriff
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | | | | | | | - Pedro Mendes
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Robert Müller
- Technical University of Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Chris J Myers
- University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder CO, 80309, USA
| | - Aurelien Naldi
- Inria Saclay - Île-de-France Research Centre, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - Tung V N Nguyen
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | | | - Brett G Olivier
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Drashti Patoliya
- Sarvajanik College of Engineering & Technology, Surat, Gujarat 395001, India
| | - Loïc Paulevé
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 33400 Talence, France
| | - Linda R Petzold
- University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Ankita Priya
- Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Jharkhand 835215, India
| | | | | | - Ali S Saglam
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | | | - Ankur Sinha
- University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jacky Snoep
- Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
| | - Hugh Sorby
- University of Auckland, 1010 Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ryan Spangler
- Allen Institute for Cell Science, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Jörn Starruß
- Technical University of Dresden, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | - Daniel Weindl
- Helmholtz Zentrum München GmbH and German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Fengkai Zhang
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | | | - James C Schaff
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA,Applied BioMath LLC, Concord, MA 01742, USA
| | - Michael L Blinov
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | | | - Ion I Moraru
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
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12
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Maritan M, Autin L, Karr J, Covert MW, Olson AJ, Goodsell DS. Building Structural Models of a Whole Mycoplasma Cell. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167351. [PMID: 34774566 PMCID: PMC8752489 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Building structural models of entire cells has been a long-standing cross-discipline challenge for the research community, as it requires an unprecedented level of integration between multiple sources of biological data and enhanced methods for computational modeling and visualization. Here, we present the first 3D structural models of an entire Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) cell, built using the CellPACK suite of computational modeling tools. Our model recapitulates the data described in recent whole-cell system biology simulations and provides a structural representation for all MG proteins, DNA and RNA molecules, obtained by combining experimental and homology-modeled structures and lattice-based models of the genome. We establish a framework for gathering, curating and evaluating these structures, exposing current weaknesses of modeling methods and the boundaries of MG structural knowledge, and visualization methods to explore functional characteristics of the genome and proteome. We compare two approaches for data gathering, a manually-curated workflow and an automated workflow that uses homologous structures, both of which are appropriate for the analysis of mesoscale properties such as crowding and volume occupancy. Analysis of model quality provides estimates of the regularization that will be required when these models are used as starting points for atomic molecular dynamics simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Maritan
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037 USA. https://twitter.com/MartinaMaritan
| | - Ludovic Autin
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037 USA. https://twitter.com/grinche
| | - Jonathan Karr
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Markus W Covert
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Arthur J Olson
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037 USA
| | - David S Goodsell
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037 USA; RCSB Protein Data Bank and Institute for Quantitative Biomedicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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13
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Cudmore P, Pan M, Gawthrop PJ, Crampin EJ. Analysing and simulating energy-based models in biology using BondGraphTools. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2021; 44:148. [PMID: 34904197 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00152-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Like all physical systems, biological systems are constrained by the laws of physics. However, mathematical models of biochemistry frequently neglect the conservation of energy, leading to unrealistic behaviour. Energy-based models that are consistent with conservation of mass, charge and energy have the potential to aid the understanding of complex interactions between biological components, and are becoming easier to develop with recent advances in experimental measurements and databases. In this paper, we motivate the use of bond graphs (a modelling tool from engineering) for energy-based modelling and introduce, BondGraphTools, a Python library for constructing and analysing bond graph models. We use examples from biochemistry to illustrate how BondGraphTools can be used to automate model construction in systems biology while maintaining consistency with the laws of physics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Cudmore
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael Pan
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Peter J Gawthrop
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Edmund J Crampin
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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14
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Pan M, Gawthrop PJ, Cursons J, Crampin EJ. Modular assembly of dynamic models in systems biology. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009513. [PMID: 34644304 PMCID: PMC8544865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that the construction of large-scale dynamic models in systems biology requires complex modelling problems to be broken up into more manageable pieces. To this end, both modelling and software frameworks are required to enable modular modelling. While there has been consistent progress in the development of software tools to enhance model reusability, there has been a relative lack of consideration for how underlying biophysical principles can be applied to this space. Bond graphs combine the aspects of both modularity and physics-based modelling. In this paper, we argue that bond graphs are compatible with recent developments in modularity and abstraction in systems biology, and are thus a desirable framework for constructing large-scale models. We use two examples to illustrate the utility of bond graphs in this context: a model of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade to illustrate the reusability of modules and a model of glycolysis to illustrate the ability to modify the model granularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Pan
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter J. Gawthrop
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Joseph Cursons
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edmund J. Crampin
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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15
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Lubbock AL, Lopez CF. Programmatic modeling for biological systems. CURRENT OPINION IN SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2021; 27:100343. [PMID: 34485764 PMCID: PMC8411905 DOI: 10.1016/j.coisb.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Computational modeling has become an established technique to encode mathematical representations of cellular processes and gain mechanistic insights that drive testable predictions. These models are often constructed using graphical user interfaces or domain-specific languages, with community standards used for interchange. Models undergo steady state or dynamic analysis, which can include simulation and calibration within a single application, or transfer across various tools. Here, we describe a novel programmatic modeling paradigm, whereby modeling is augmented with software engineering best practices. We focus on Python - a popular programming language with a large scientific package ecosystem. Models can be encoded as programs, adding benefits such as modularity, testing, and automated documentation generators, while still being extensible and exportable to standardized formats for use with external tools if desired. Programmatic modeling is a key technology to enable collaborative model development and enhance dissemination, transparency, and reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L.R. Lubbock
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States of America
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville Tennessee 37212, United States of America
| | - Carlos F. Lopez
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States of America
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville Tennessee 37212, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States of America
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16
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Raveh B, Sun L, White KL, Sanyal T, Tempkin J, Zheng D, Bharath K, Singla J, Wang C, Zhao J, Li A, Graham NA, Kesselman C, Stevens RC, Sali A. Bayesian metamodeling of complex biological systems across varying representations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2104559118. [PMID: 34453000 PMCID: PMC8536362 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2104559118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive modeling of a whole cell requires an integration of vast amounts of information on various aspects of the cell and its parts. To divide and conquer this task, we introduce Bayesian metamodeling, a general approach to modeling complex systems by integrating a collection of heterogeneous input models. Each input model can in principle be based on any type of data and can describe a different aspect of the modeled system using any mathematical representation, scale, and level of granularity. These input models are 1) converted to a standardized statistical representation relying on probabilistic graphical models, 2) coupled by modeling their mutual relations with the physical world, and 3) finally harmonized with respect to each other. To illustrate Bayesian metamodeling, we provide a proof-of-principle metamodel of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by human pancreatic β-cells. The input models include a coarse-grained spatiotemporal simulation of insulin vesicle trafficking, docking, and exocytosis; a molecular network model of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion signaling; a network model of insulin metabolism; a structural model of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor activation; a linear model of a pancreatic cell population; and ordinary differential equations for systemic postprandial insulin response. Metamodeling benefits from decentralized computing, while often producing a more accurate, precise, and complete model that contextualizes input models as well as resolves conflicting information. We anticipate Bayesian metamodeling will facilitate collaborative science by providing a framework for sharing expertise, resources, data, and models, as exemplified by the Pancreatic β-Cell Consortium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barak Raveh
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190416, Israel
| | - Liping Sun
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Kate L White
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Tanmoy Sanyal
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Jeremy Tempkin
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Dongqing Zheng
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Kala Bharath
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Jitin Singla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- Information Science Institute, The Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Chenxi Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jihui Zhao
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Angdi Li
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Nicholas A Graham
- Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Carl Kesselman
- Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- Information Science Institute, The Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
| | - Raymond C Stevens
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bridge Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Andrej Sali
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158;
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
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17
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Gawthrop PJ, Pan M, Crampin EJ. Modular dynamic biomolecular modelling with bond graphs: the unification of stoichiometry, thermodynamics, kinetics and data. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210478. [PMID: 34428949 PMCID: PMC8385351 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Renewed interest in dynamic simulation models of biomolecular systems has arisen from advances in genome-wide measurement and applications of such models in biotechnology and synthetic biology. In particular, genome-scale models of cellular metabolism beyond the steady state are required in order to represent transient and dynamic regulatory properties of the system. Development of such whole-cell models requires new modelling approaches. Here, we propose the energy-based bond graph methodology, which integrates stoichiometric models with thermodynamic principles and kinetic modelling. We demonstrate how the bond graph approach intrinsically enforces thermodynamic constraints, provides a modular approach to modelling, and gives a basis for estimation of model parameters leading to dynamic models of biomolecular systems. The approach is illustrated using a well-established stoichiometric model of Escherichia coli and published experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Gawthrop
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Michael Pan
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Edmund J. Crampin
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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18
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Shaikh B, Marupilla G, Wilson M, Blinov ML, Moraru II, Karr JR. RunBioSimulations: an extensible web application that simulates a wide range of computational modeling frameworks, algorithms, and formats. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:W597-W602. [PMID: 34019658 PMCID: PMC8262693 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive, predictive computational models have significant potential for science, bioengineering, and medicine. One promising way to achieve more predictive models is to combine submodels of multiple subsystems. To capture the multiple scales of biology, these submodels will likely require multiple modeling frameworks and simulation algorithms. Several community resources are already available for working with many of these frameworks and algorithms. However, the variety and sheer number of these resources make it challenging to find and use appropriate tools for each model, especially for novice modelers and experimentalists. To make these resources easier to use, we developed RunBioSimulations (https://run.biosimulations.org), a single web application for executing a broad range of models. RunBioSimulations leverages community resources, including BioSimulators, a new open registry of simulation tools. These resources currently enable RunBioSimulations to execute nine frameworks and 44 algorithms, and they make RunBioSimulations extensible to additional frameworks and algorithms. RunBioSimulations also provides features for sharing simulations and interactively visualizing their results. We anticipate that RunBioSimulations will foster reproducibility, stimulate collaboration, and ultimately facilitate the creation of more predictive models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Shaikh
- Icahn Institute for Data Science & Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Gnaneswara Marupilla
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Mike Wilson
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Michael L Blinov
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Ion I Moraru
- Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Jonathan R Karr
- Icahn Institute for Data Science & Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA
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19
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Rees-Garbutt J, Rightmyer J, Chalkley O, Marucci L, Grierson C. Testing Theoretical Minimal Genomes Using Whole-Cell Models. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1598-1604. [PMID: 34111356 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The minimal gene set for life has often been theorized, with at least ten produced for Mycoplasma genitalium (M. genitalium). Due to the difficulty of using M. genitalium in the lab, combined with its long replication time of 12-15 h, none of these theoretical minimal genomes have been tested, even with modern techniques. The publication of the M. genitalium whole-cell model provided the first opportunity to test them, simulating the genome edits in silico. We simulated minimal gene sets from the literature, finding that they produced in silico cells that did not divide. Using knowledge from previous research, we reintroduced specific essential and low essential genes in silico; enabling cellular division. This reinforces the need to identify species-specific low essential genes and their interactions. Any genome designs created using the currently incomplete and fragmented gene essentiality information will very likely require in vivo reintroductions to correct issues and produce dividing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Rees-Garbutt
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Jake Rightmyer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Oliver Chalkley
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences, Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
| | - Lucia Marucci
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
| | - Claire Grierson
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
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20
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Fischer S, Dinh M, Henry V, Robert P, Goelzer A, Fromion V. BiPSim: a flexible and generic stochastic simulator for polymerization processes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14112. [PMID: 34238958 PMCID: PMC8266833 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92833-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Detailed whole-cell modeling requires an integration of heterogeneous cell processes having different modeling formalisms, for which whole-cell simulation could remain tractable. Here, we introduce BiPSim, an open-source stochastic simulator of template-based polymerization processes, such as replication, transcription and translation. BiPSim combines an efficient abstract representation of reactions and a constant-time implementation of the Gillespie’s Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (SSA) with respect to reactions, which makes it highly efficient to simulate large-scale polymerization processes stochastically. Moreover, multi-level descriptions of polymerization processes can be handled simultaneously, allowing the user to tune a trade-off between simulation speed and model granularity. We evaluated the performance of BiPSim by simulating genome-wide gene expression in bacteria for multiple levels of granularity. Finally, since no cell-type specific information is hard-coded in the simulator, models can easily be adapted to other organismal species. We expect that BiPSim should open new perspectives for the genome-wide simulation of stochastic phenomena in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Fischer
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Marc Dinh
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Vincent Henry
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Anne Goelzer
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Vincent Fromion
- INRAE, MaIAGE, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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21
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Covert MW, Gillies TE, Kudo T, Agmon E. A forecast for large-scale, predictive biology: Lessons from meteorology. Cell Syst 2021; 12:488-496. [PMID: 34139161 PMCID: PMC8217727 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Quantitative systems biology, in which predictive mathematical models are constructed to guide the design of experiments and predict experimental outcomes, is at an exciting transition point, where the foundational scientific principles are becoming established, but the impact is not yet global. The next steps necessary for mathematical modeling to transform biological research and applications, in the same way it has already transformed other fields, is not completely clear. The purpose of this perspective is to forecast possible answers to this question-what needs to happen next-by drawing on the experience gained in another field, specifically meteorology. We review here a number of lessons learned in weather prediction that are directly relevant to biological systems modeling, and that we believe can enable the same kinds of global impact in our field as atmospheric modeling makes today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus W Covert
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Taryn E Gillies
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Takamasa Kudo
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Eran Agmon
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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22
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Santibáñez R, Garrido D, Martin AJM. Atlas: automatic modeling of regulation of bacterial gene expression and metabolism using rule-based languages. Bioinformatics 2021; 36:5473-5480. [PMID: 33367504 PMCID: PMC8016457 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa1040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Cells are complex systems composed of hundreds of genes whose products interact to produce elaborated behaviors. To control such behaviors, cells rely on transcription factors to regulate gene expression, and gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are employed to describe and understand such behavior. However, GRNs are static models, and dynamic models are difficult to obtain due to their size, complexity, stochastic dynamics and interactions with other cell processes. RESULTS We developed Atlas, a Python software that converts genome graphs and gene regulatory, interaction and metabolic networks into dynamic models. The software employs these biological networks to write rule-based models for the PySB framework. The underlying method is a divide-and-conquer strategy to obtain sub-models and combine them later into an ensemble model. To exemplify the utility of Atlas, we used networks of varying size and complexity of Escherichia coli and evaluated in silico modifications, such as gene knockouts and the insertion of promoters and terminators. Moreover, the methodology could be applied to the dynamic modeling of natural and synthetic networks of any bacteria. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Code, models and tutorials are available online (https://github.com/networkbiolab/atlas). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Santibáñez
- Laboratorio de Biología de Redes, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Daniel Garrido
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Alberto J M Martin
- Laboratorio de Biología de Redes, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile
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23
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Azer K, Kaddi CD, Barrett JS, Bai JPF, McQuade ST, Merrill NJ, Piccoli B, Neves-Zaph S, Marchetti L, Lombardo R, Parolo S, Immanuel SRC, Baliga NS. History and Future Perspectives on the Discipline of Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Modeling and Its Applications. Front Physiol 2021; 12:637999. [PMID: 33841175 PMCID: PMC8027332 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.637999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematical biology and pharmacology models have a long and rich history in the fields of medicine and physiology, impacting our understanding of disease mechanisms and the development of novel therapeutics. With an increased focus on the pharmacology application of system models and the advances in data science spanning mechanistic and empirical approaches, there is a significant opportunity and promise to leverage these advancements to enhance the development and application of the systems pharmacology field. In this paper, we will review milestones in the evolution of mathematical biology and pharmacology models, highlight some of the gaps and challenges in developing and applying systems pharmacology models, and provide a vision for an integrated strategy that leverages advances in adjacent fields to overcome these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Azer
- Quantitative Sciences, Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Chanchala D. Kaddi
- Quantitative Sciences, Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Jane P. F. Bai
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Sean T. McQuade
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
| | - Nathaniel J. Merrill
- Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
| | - Benedetto Piccoli
- Department of Mathematical Sciences and Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
| | - Susana Neves-Zaph
- Translational Disease Modeling, Data and Data Science, Sanofi, Bridgewater, NJ, United States
| | - Luca Marchetti
- Fondazione the Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI), Rovereto, Italy
| | - Rosario Lombardo
- Fondazione the Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI), Rovereto, Italy
| | - Silvia Parolo
- Fondazione the Microsoft Research – University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology (COSBI), Rovereto, Italy
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24
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Roth YD, Lian Z, Pochiraju S, Shaikh B, Karr JR. Datanator: an integrated database of molecular data for quantitatively modeling cellular behavior. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:D516-D522. [PMID: 33174603 PMCID: PMC7779073 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrative research about multiple biochemical subsystems has significant potential to help advance biology, bioengineering and medicine. However, it is difficult to obtain the diverse data needed for integrative research. To facilitate biochemical research, we developed Datanator (https://datanator.info), an integrated database and set of tools for finding clouds of multiple types of molecular data about specific molecules and reactions in specific organisms and environments, as well as data about chemically-similar molecules and reactions in phylogenetically-similar organisms in similar environments. Currently, Datanator includes metabolite concentrations, RNA modifications and half-lives, protein abundances and modifications, and reaction rate constants about a broad range of organisms. Going forward, we aim to launch a community initiative to curate additional data. Datanator also provides tools for filtering, visualizing and exporting these data clouds. We believe that Datanator can facilitate a wide range of research from integrative mechanistic models, such as whole-cell models, to comparative data-driven analyses of multiple organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosef D Roth
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1255 5th Avenue, Suite C2, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Zhouyang Lian
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1255 5th Avenue, Suite C2, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Saahith Pochiraju
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1255 5th Avenue, Suite C2, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Bilal Shaikh
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1255 5th Avenue, Suite C2, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jonathan R Karr
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology and Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1255 5th Avenue, Suite C2, New York, NY 10029, USA
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25
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Aghakhani S, Zerrouk N, Niarakis A. Metabolic Reprogramming of Fibroblasts as Therapeutic Target in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cancer: Deciphering Key Mechanisms Using Computational Systems Biology Approaches. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 13:E35. [PMID: 33374292 PMCID: PMC7795338 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13010035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts, the most abundant cells in the connective tissue, are key modulators of the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. These spindle-shaped cells are capable of synthesizing various extracellular matrix proteins and collagen. They also provide the structural framework (stroma) for tissues and play a pivotal role in the wound healing process. While they are maintainers of the ECM turnover and regulate several physiological processes, they can also undergo transformations responding to certain stimuli and display aggressive phenotypes that contribute to disease pathophysiology. In this review, we focus on the metabolic pathways of glucose and highlight metabolic reprogramming as a critical event that contributes to the transition of fibroblasts from quiescent to activated and aggressive cells. We also cover the emerging evidence that allows us to draw parallels between fibroblasts in autoimmune disorders and more specifically in rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. We link the metabolic changes of fibroblasts to the toxic environment created by the disease condition and discuss how targeting of metabolic reprogramming could be employed in the treatment of such diseases. Lastly, we discuss Systems Biology approaches, and more specifically, computational modeling, as a means to elucidate pathogenetic mechanisms and accelerate the identification of novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Aghakhani
- GenHotel, University of Evry, University of Paris-Saclay, Genopole, 91000 Evry, France; (S.A.); (N.Z.)
- Lifeware Group, Inria Saclay, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - Naouel Zerrouk
- GenHotel, University of Evry, University of Paris-Saclay, Genopole, 91000 Evry, France; (S.A.); (N.Z.)
| | - Anna Niarakis
- GenHotel, University of Evry, University of Paris-Saclay, Genopole, 91000 Evry, France; (S.A.); (N.Z.)
- Lifeware Group, Inria Saclay, 91120 Palaiseau, France
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26
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Glont M, Arankalle C, Tiwari K, Nguyen TVN, Hermjakob H, Malik-Sheriff RS. BioModels Parameters: a treasure trove of parameter values from published systems biology models. Bioinformatics 2020; 36:4649-4654. [PMID: 32573648 PMCID: PMC7653554 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION One of the major bottlenecks in building systems biology models is identification and estimation of model parameters for model calibration. Searching for model parameters from published literature and models is an essential, yet laborious task. RESULTS We have developed a new service, BioModels Parameters, to facilitate search and retrieval of parameter values from the Systems Biology Markup Language models stored in BioModels. Modellers can now directly search for a model entity (e.g. a protein or drug) to retrieve the rate equations describing it; the associated parameter values (e.g. degradation rate, production rate, Kcat, Michaelis-Menten constant, etc.) and the initial concentrations. Currently, BioModels Parameters contains entries from over 84,000 reactions and 60 different taxa with cross-references. The retrieved rate equations and parameters can be used for scanning parameter ranges, model fitting and model extension. Thus, BioModels Parameters will be a valuable service for systems biology modellers. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The data are accessible via web interface and API. BioModels Parameters is free to use and is publicly available at https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biomodels/parameterSearch. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Glont
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Chinmay Arankalle
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Krishna Tiwari
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK.,Signalling Department, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Tung V N Nguyen
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Henning Hermjakob
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Rahuman S Malik-Sheriff
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
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27
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Vakser IA. Challenges in protein docking. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 64:160-165. [PMID: 32836051 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2020.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Current developments in protein docking aim at improvement of applicability, accuracy and utility of modeling macromolecular complexes. The challenges include the need for greater emphasis on protein docking to molecules of different types, proper accounting for conformational flexibility upon binding, new promising methodologies based on residue co-evolution and deep learning, affinity prediction, and further development of fully automated docking servers. Importantly, new developments increasingly focus on realistic modeling of protein interactions in vivo, including crowded environment inside a cell, which involves multiple transient encounters, and propagating the system in time. This opinion paper offers the author's perspective on these challenges in structural modeling of protein interactions and the future of protein docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya A Vakser
- Computational Biology Program and Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.
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28
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Marucci L, Barberis M, Karr J, Ray O, Race PR, de Souza Andrade M, Grierson C, Hoffmann SA, Landon S, Rech E, Rees-Garbutt J, Seabrook R, Shaw W, Woods C. Computer-Aided Whole-Cell Design: Taking a Holistic Approach by Integrating Synthetic With Systems Biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:942. [PMID: 32850764 PMCID: PMC7426639 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Computer-aided design (CAD) for synthetic biology promises to accelerate the rational and robust engineering of biological systems. It requires both detailed and quantitative mathematical and experimental models of the processes to (re)design biology, and software and tools for genetic engineering and DNA assembly. Ultimately, the increased precision in the design phase will have a dramatic impact on the production of designer cells and organisms with bespoke functions and increased modularity. CAD strategies require quantitative models of cells that can capture multiscale processes and link genotypes to phenotypes. Here, we present a perspective on how whole-cell, multiscale models could transform design-build-test-learn cycles in synthetic biology. We show how these models could significantly aid in the design and learn phases while reducing experimental testing by presenting case studies spanning from genome minimization to cell-free systems. We also discuss several challenges for the realization of our vision. The possibility to describe and build whole-cells in silico offers an opportunity to develop increasingly automatized, precise and accessible CAD tools and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Marucci
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Bristol Centre for Synthetic Biology (BrisSynBio), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Matteo Barberis
- Systems Biology, School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology, CMCB, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.,Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jonathan Karr
- Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Oliver Ray
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Paul R Race
- Bristol Centre for Synthetic Biology (BrisSynBio), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel de Souza Andrade
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation/National Institute of Science and Technology - Synthetic Biology, Brasília, Brazil.,Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Claire Grierson
- Bristol Centre for Synthetic Biology (BrisSynBio), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Andreas Hoffmann
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Landon
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,Bristol Centre for Synthetic Biology (BrisSynBio), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Elibio Rech
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation/National Institute of Science and Technology - Synthetic Biology, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Joshua Rees-Garbutt
- Bristol Centre for Synthetic Biology (BrisSynBio), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Seabrook
- Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research (EBI), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - William Shaw
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Woods
- Bristol Centre for Synthetic Biology (BrisSynBio), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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29
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Porubsky VL, Goldberg AP, Rampadarath AK, Nickerson DP, Karr JR, Sauro HM. Best Practices for Making Reproducible Biochemical Models. Cell Syst 2020; 11:109-120. [PMID: 32853539 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2020.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Like many scientific disciplines, dynamical biochemical modeling is hindered by irreproducible results. This limits the utility of biochemical models by making them difficult to understand, trust, or reuse. We comprehensively list the best practices that biochemical modelers should follow to build reproducible biochemical model artifacts-all data, model descriptions, and custom software used by the model-that can be understood and reused. The best practices provide advice for all steps of a typical biochemical modeling workflow in which a modeler collects data; constructs, trains, simulates, and validates the model; uses the predictions of a model to advance knowledge; and publicly shares the model artifacts. The best practices emphasize the benefits obtained by using standard tools and formats and provides guidance to modelers who do not or cannot use standards in some stages of their modeling workflow. Adoption of these best practices will enhance the ability of researchers to reproduce, understand, and reuse biochemical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica L Porubsky
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Arthur P Goldberg
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Anand K Rampadarath
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - David P Nickerson
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan R Karr
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Herbert M Sauro
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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30
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Waltemath D, Golebiewski M, Blinov ML, Gleeson P, Hermjakob H, Hucka M, Inau ET, Keating SM, König M, Krebs O, Malik-Sheriff RS, Nickerson D, Oberortner E, Sauro HM, Schreiber F, Smith L, Stefan MI, Wittig U, Myers CJ. The first 10 years of the international coordination network for standards in systems and synthetic biology (COMBINE). J Integr Bioinform 2020; 17:jib-2020-0005. [PMID: 32598315 PMCID: PMC7756615 DOI: 10.1515/jib-2020-0005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper presents a report on outcomes of the 10th Computational Modeling in Biology Network (COMBINE) meeting that was held in Heidelberg, Germany, in July of 2019. The annual event brings together researchers, biocurators and software engineers to present recent results and discuss future work in the area of standards for systems and synthetic biology. The COMBINE initiative coordinates the development of various community standards and formats for computational models in the life sciences. Over the past 10 years, COMBINE has brought together standard communities that have further developed and harmonized their standards for better interoperability of models and data. COMBINE 2019 was co-located with a stakeholder workshop of the European EU-STANDS4PM initiative that aims at harmonized data and model standardization for in silico models in the field of personalized medicine, as well as with the FAIRDOM PALs meeting to discuss findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) data sharing. This report briefly describes the work discussed in invited and contributed talks as well as during breakout sessions. It also highlights recent advancements in data, model, and annotation standardization efforts. Finally, this report concludes with some challenges and opportunities that this community will face during the next 10 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Waltemath
- Medical Informatics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Martin Golebiewski
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Padraig Gleeson
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Michael Hucka
- Computing and Mathematical Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Esther Thea Inau
- Medical Informatics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Matthias König
- Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt-University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Olga Krebs
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - David Nickerson
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ernst Oberortner
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Herbert M Sauro
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Falk Schreiber
- Department of Computer and Information Science, University ofKonstanz, Germany.,Faculty of IT, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Lucian Smith
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Melanie I Stefan
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,ZJU-UoE Institute, Zhejiang University, Haining, China.,University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Ulrike Wittig
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Chris J Myers
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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31
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Malik-Sheriff RS, Glont M, Nguyen TVN, Tiwari K, Roberts MG, Xavier A, Vu MT, Men J, Maire M, Kananathan S, Fairbanks EL, Meyer JP, Arankalle C, Varusai TM, Knight-Schrijver V, Li L, Dueñas-Roca C, Dass G, Keating SM, Park YM, Buso N, Rodriguez N, Hucka M, Hermjakob H. BioModels-15 years of sharing computational models in life science. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:D407-D415. [PMID: 31701150 PMCID: PMC7145643 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz1055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational modelling has become increasingly common in life science research. To provide a platform to support universal sharing, easy accessibility and model reproducibility, BioModels (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biomodels/), a repository for mathematical models, was established in 2005. The current BioModels platform allows submission of models encoded in diverse modelling formats, including SBML, CellML, PharmML, COMBINE archive, MATLAB, Mathematica, R, Python or C++. The models submitted to BioModels are curated to verify the computational representation of the biological process and the reproducibility of the simulation results in the reference publication. The curation also involves encoding models in standard formats and annotation with controlled vocabularies following MIRIAM (minimal information required in the annotation of biochemical models) guidelines. BioModels now accepts large-scale submission of auto-generated computational models. With gradual growth in content over 15 years, BioModels currently hosts about 2000 models from the published literature. With about 800 curated models, BioModels has become the world’s largest repository of curated models and emerged as the third most used data resource after PubMed and Google Scholar among the scientists who use modelling in their research. Thus, BioModels benefits modellers by providing access to reliable and semantically enriched curated models in standard formats that are easy to share, reproduce and reuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahuman S Malik-Sheriff
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Mihai Glont
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Tung V N Nguyen
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Krishna Tiwari
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK.,Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Matthew G Roberts
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ashley Xavier
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Manh T Vu
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jinghao Men
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Matthieu Maire
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sarubini Kananathan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Emma L Fairbanks
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Johannes P Meyer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Chinmay Arankalle
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Thawfeek M Varusai
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | | | - Lu Li
- Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Corina Dueñas-Roca
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Gaurhari Dass
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sarah M Keating
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Young M Park
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Nicola Buso
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Nicolas Rodriguez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK.,Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Michael Hucka
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 91125, CA, USA
| | - Henning Hermjakob
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK.,State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (The PHOENIX Center, Beijing), Beijing 102206, China
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32
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Bartley BA, Beal J, Karr JR, Strychalski EA. Organizing genome engineering for the gigabase scale. Nat Commun 2020; 11:689. [PMID: 32019919 PMCID: PMC7000699 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14314-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-scale engineering holds great potential to impact science, industry, medicine, and society, and recent improvements in DNA synthesis have enabled the manipulation of megabase genomes. However, coordinating and integrating the workflows and large teams necessary for gigabase genome engineering remains a considerable challenge. We examine this issue and recommend a path forward by: 1) adopting and extending existing representations for designs, assembly plans, samples, data, and workflows; 2) developing new technologies for data curation and quality control; 3) conducting fundamental research on genome-scale modeling and design; and 4) developing new legal and contractual infrastructure to facilitate collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob Beal
- Raytheon BBN Technologies, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Jonathan R Karr
- Icahn Institute and Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10128, USA
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33
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Kirouac DC. Open Models for Clinical Pharmacology. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2020; 107:700-702. [PMID: 31983060 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.1738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Portela RMC, Varsakelis C, Richelle A, Giannelos N, Pence J, Dessoy S, von Stosch M. When Is an In Silico Representation a Digital Twin? A Biopharmaceutical Industry Approach to the Digital Twin Concept. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 176:35-55. [PMID: 32797270 DOI: 10.1007/10_2020_138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Digital twins (DTs) are expected to render process development and life-cycle management much more cost-effective and time-efficient. A DT definition, a brief retrospect on their history and expectations for their deployment in today's business environment, and a detailed financial assessment of their attractive economic benefits are provided in this chapter. The argument that restrictive guidelines set forth by regulatory agencies would hinder the adoption of DTs in the (bio)pharmaceutical industry is revisited, concluding that those companies who collaborate with the agencies to further their technical capabilities will gain significant competitive advantage. The analyzed process development examples show high methodological readiness levels but low systematic adoption of technology. Given the technical feasibilities, financial opportunities, and regulatory encouragement, concerns regarding intellectual property and data sharing, though required to be taken into account, will at best delay an industry-wide adoption of DTs. In conclusion, it is expected that a strategic investment in DTs now will gain an advantage over competition that will be difficult to overcome by late adopters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui M C Portela
- Process Systems Biology and Engineering Center of Excellence, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium
| | - Christos Varsakelis
- VCDM, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium
| | - Anne Richelle
- Process Systems Biology and Engineering Center of Excellence, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium
| | - Nikolaos Giannelos
- VCDM, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium
| | - Julia Pence
- VCDM, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Dessoy
- VCDM, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium
| | - Moritz von Stosch
- Process Systems Biology and Engineering Center of Excellence, Technical Research and Development, GSK Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium. .,DataHow AG, Zurich, Switzerland.
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35
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Abstract
Abstract
Living organisms in analogy with chemical factories use simple molecules such as sugars to produce a variety of compounds which are necessary for sustaining life and some of which are also commercially valuable. The metabolisms of simple (such as bacteria) and higher organisms (such as plants) alike can be exploited to convert low value inputs into high value outputs. Unlike conventional chemical factories, microbial production chassis are not necessarily tuned for a single product overproduction. Despite the same end goal, metabolic and industrial engineers rely on different techniques for achieving productivity goals. Metabolic engineers cannot affect reaction rates by manipulating pressure and temperature, instead they have at their disposal a range of enzymes and transcriptional and translational processes to optimize accordingly. In this review, we first highlight how various analytical approaches used in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology are related to concepts developed in systems and control engineering. Specifically, how algorithmic concepts derived in operations research can help explain the structure and organization of metabolic networks. Finally, we consider the future directions and challenges faced by the field of metabolic network modeling and the possible contributions of concepts drawn from the classical fields of chemical and control engineering. The aim of the review is to offer a current perspective of metabolic engineering and all that it entails without requiring specialized knowledge of bioinformatics or systems biology.
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36
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Santibáñez R, Garrido D, Martin AJM. Pleione: A tool for statistical and multi-objective calibration of Rule-based models. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15104. [PMID: 31641245 PMCID: PMC6805871 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematical models based on Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) are frequently used to describe and simulate biological systems. Nevertheless, such models are often difficult to understand. Unlike ODE models, Rule-Based Models (RBMs) utilise formal language to describe reactions as a cumulative number of statements that are easier to understand and correct. They are also gaining popularity because of their conciseness and simulation flexibility. However, RBMs generally lack tools to perform further analysis that requires simulation. This situation arises because exact and approximate simulations are computationally intensive. Translating RBMs into ODEs is commonly used to reduce simulation time, but this technique may be prohibitive due to combinatorial explosion. Here, we present the software called Pleione to calibrate RBMs. Parameter calibration is essential given the incomplete experimental determination of reaction rates and the goal of using models to reproduce experimental data. The software distributes stochastic simulations and calculations and incorporates equivalence tests to determine the fitness of RBMs compared with data. The primary features of Pleione were thoroughly tested on a model of gene regulation in Escherichia coli. Pleione yielded satisfactory results regarding calculation time and error reduction for multiple simulators, models, parameter search strategies, and computing infrastructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Santibáñez
- Network Biology Lab, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, 8580745, Chile
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 7820436, Chile
| | - Daniel Garrido
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 7820436, Chile
| | - Alberto J M Martin
- Network Biology Lab, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, 8580745, Chile.
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Abstract
Comprehensive data about the composition and structure of cellular components have enabled the construction of quantitative whole-cell models. While kinetic network-type models have been established, it is also becoming possible to build physical, molecular-level models of cellular environments. This review outlines challenges in constructing and simulating such models and discusses near- and long-term opportunities for developing physical whole-cell models that can connect molecular structure with biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Feig
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA;
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Function Simulation, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yuji Sugita
- Laboratory for Biomolecular Function Simulation, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
- Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Landon S, Rees-Garbutt J, Marucci L, Grierson C. Genome-driven cell engineering review: in vivo and in silico metabolic and genome engineering. Essays Biochem 2019; 63:267-284. [PMID: 31243142 PMCID: PMC6610458 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20180045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Producing 'designer cells' with specific functions is potentially feasible in the near future. Recent developments, including whole-cell models, genome design algorithms and gene editing tools, have advanced the possibility of combining biological research and mathematical modelling to further understand and better design cellular processes. In this review, we will explore computational and experimental approaches used for metabolic and genome design. We will highlight the relevance of modelling in this process, and challenges associated with the generation of quantitative predictions about cell behaviour as a whole: although many cellular processes are well understood at the subsystem level, it has proved a hugely complex task to integrate separate components together to model and study an entire cell. We explore these developments, highlighting where computational design algorithms compensate for missing cellular information and underlining where computational models can complement and reduce lab experimentation. We will examine issues and illuminate the next steps for genome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Landon
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
| | - Joshua Rees-Garbutt
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Lucia Marucci
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K.
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UB, U.K
| | - Claire Grierson
- BrisSynBio, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
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39
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Ben Guebila M, Thiele I. Predicting gastrointestinal drug effects using contextualized metabolic models. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007100. [PMID: 31242176 PMCID: PMC6594586 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal side effects are among the most common classes of adverse reactions associated with orally absorbed drugs. These effects decrease patient compliance with the treatment and induce undesirable physiological effects. The prediction of drug action on the gut wall based on in vitro data solely can improve the safety of marketed drugs and first-in-human trials of new chemical entities. We used publicly available data of drug-induced gene expression changes to build drug-specific small intestine epithelial cell metabolic models. The combination of measured in vitro gene expression and in silico predicted metabolic rates in the gut wall was used as features for a multilabel support vector machine to predict the occurrence of side effects. We showed that combining local gut wall-specific metabolism with gene expression performs better than gene expression alone, which indicates the role of small intestine metabolism in the development of adverse reactions. Furthermore, we reclassified FDA-labeled drugs with respect to their genetic and metabolic profiles to show hidden similarities between seemingly different drugs. The linkage of xenobiotics to their transcriptomic and metabolic profiles could take pharmacology far beyond the usual indication-based classifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marouen Ben Guebila
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Ines Thiele
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
- Discipline of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
- * E-mail:
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40
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Developments in integrative modeling with dynamical interfaces. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 56:11-17. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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41
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Computational approaches to macromolecular interactions in the cell. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 55:59-65. [PMID: 30999240 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Structural modeling of a cell is an evolving strategic direction in computational structural biology. It takes advantage of new powerful modeling techniques, deeper understanding of fundamental principles of molecular structure and assembly, and rapid growth of the amount of structural data generated by experimental techniques. Key modeling approaches to principal types of macromolecular assemblies in a cell already exist. The main challenge, along with the further development of these modeling approaches, is putting them together in a consistent, unified whole cell model. This opinion piece addresses the fundamental aspects of modeling macromolecular assemblies in a cell, and the state-of-the-art in modeling of the principal types of such assemblies.
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42
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Uschner F, Klipp E. Signaling pathways in context. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 58:155-160. [PMID: 30974381 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The last decade has seen a rise in the development of methods and models to analyze cellular networks on all levels. The applications of this knowledge are, however, often confined to specifics of the network in concrete conditions and leveraging it is hampered by the lack of information about this context and its implications on the system. While not all cellular networks have been deciphered yet, even for well-studied networks their versatility in different contexts is barely considered. Here, we focus on challenges and potentials when integrating signaling networks into their encompassing structures. We highlight three different consequences of this process: a) its fundamental importance for whole-cell and large-scale models, b) significant changes in contextual behavior imposed on entire systems by genetic variations, and c) species-specific conservation or divergence of signaling motifs can give important clues on how to handle cellular context. While important studies have been conducted on these topics to some extent, an increased focus on developing and exploiting solutions for integrative contextualization should turn out as a fruitful path for both theoretical and experimental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedemann Uschner
- Theoretical Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Edda Klipp
- Theoretical Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstr. 42, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
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43
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Nussinov R, Tsai CJ, Shehu A, Jang H. Computational Structural Biology: Successes, Future Directions, and Challenges. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24030637. [PMID: 30759724 PMCID: PMC6384756 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24030637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational biology has made powerful advances. Among these, trends in human health have been uncovered through heterogeneous 'big data' integration, and disease-associated genes were identified and classified. Along a different front, the dynamic organization of chromatin is being elucidated to gain insight into the fundamental question of genome regulation. Powerful conformational sampling methods have also been developed to yield a detailed molecular view of cellular processes. when combining these methods with the advancements in the modeling of supramolecular assemblies, including those at the membrane, we are finally able to get a glimpse into how cells' actions are regulated. Perhaps most intriguingly, a major thrust is on to decipher the mystery of how the brain is coded. Here, we aim to provide a broad, yet concise, sketch of modern aspects of computational biology, with a special focus on computational structural biology. We attempt to forecast the areas that computational structural biology will embrace in the future and the challenges that it may face. We skirt details, highlight successes, note failures, and map directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
- Sackler Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Chung-Jung Tsai
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
| | - Amarda Shehu
- Departments of Computer Science, Department of Bioengineering, and School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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44
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Goldberg AP, Szigeti B, Chew YH, Sekar JA, Roth YD, Karr JR. Emerging whole-cell modeling principles and methods. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2017; 51:97-102. [PMID: 29275251 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Whole-cell computational models aim to predict cellular phenotypes from genotype by representing the entire genome, the structure and concentration of each molecular species, each molecular interaction, and the extracellular environment. Whole-cell models have great potential to transform bioscience, bioengineering, and medicine. However, numerous challenges remain to achieve whole-cell models. Nevertheless, researchers are beginning to leverage recent progress in measurement technology, bioinformatics, data sharing, rule-based modeling, and multi-algorithmic simulation to build the first whole-cell models. We anticipate that ongoing efforts to develop scalable whole-cell modeling tools will enable dramatically more comprehensive and more accurate models, including models of human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur P Goldberg
- Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Balázs Szigeti
- Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yin Hoon Chew
- Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - John Ap Sekar
- Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Yosef D Roth
- Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Jonathan R Karr
- Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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45
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Simulation of Cellular Energy Restriction in Quiescence (ERiQ)-A Theoretical Model for Aging. BIOLOGY 2017; 6:biology6040044. [PMID: 29231906 PMCID: PMC5745449 DOI: 10.3390/biology6040044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cellular responses to energy stress involve activation of pro-survival signaling nodes, compensation in regulatory pathways and adaptations in organelle function. Specifically, energy restriction in quiescent cells (ERiQ) through energetic perturbations causes adaptive changes in response to reduced ATP, NAD+ and NADP levels in a regulatory network spanned by AKT, NF-κB, p53 and mTOR. Based on the experimental ERiQ platform, we have constructed a minimalistic theoretical model consisting of feedback motifs that enable investigation of stress-signaling pathways. The computer simulations reveal responses to acute energetic perturbations, promoting cellular survival and recovery to homeostasis. We speculated that the very same stress mechanisms are activated during aging in post-mitotic cells. To test this hypothesis, we modified the model to be deficient in protein damage clearance and demonstrate the formation of energy stress. Contrasting the network’s pro-survival role in acute energetic challenges, conflicting responses in aging disrupt mitochondrial maintenance and contribute to a lockstep progression of decline when chronically activated. The model was analyzed by a local sensitivity analysis with respect to lifespan and makes predictions consistent with inhibitory and gain-of-function experiments in aging.
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