Network visualization and analysis of gene expression data using BioLayout Express3D

A Theocharidis, S Van Dongen, AJ Enright… - Nature protocols, 2009 - nature.com
Nature protocols, 2009nature.com
Network analysis has an increasing role in our effort to understand the complexity of
biological systems. This is because of our ability to generate large data sets, where the
interaction or distance between biological components can be either measured
experimentally or calculated. Here we describe the use of BioLayout Express 3D, an
application that has been specifically designed for the integration, visualization and analysis
of large network graphs derived from biological data. We describe the basic functionality of …
Abstract
Network analysis has an increasing role in our effort to understand the complexity of biological systems. This is because of our ability to generate large data sets, where the interaction or distance between biological components can be either measured experimentally or calculated. Here we describe the use of BioLayout Express3D, an application that has been specifically designed for the integration, visualization and analysis of large network graphs derived from biological data. We describe the basic functionality of the program and its ability to display and cluster large graphs in two- and three-dimensional space, thereby rendering graphs in a highly interactive format. Although the program supports the import and display of various data formats, we provide a detailed protocol for one of its unique capabilities, the network analysis of gene expression data and a more general guide to the manipulation of graphs generated from various other data types.
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