User:Roberto4soccer/Bioinformatics1

= Computer Science Page: Bioinformatics = http://www.enicepages.com/images/bioinformatics2.gif

= Defination =

Bioinformatics is specialized tasks performed by biologists using the computer. “More specifically, we can define bioinformatics as the computational branch of molecular biology” (Claverir and Notredame 9-10). Bioinformatics research explores the workable associations between the composition of the genes within the context of the genome and the configuration and function of the proteins encoded by these genes (Zadeh 43). In its simplest form, however, bioinformatics is “the use of computational methods towards solving problems in biology” (Doom, Raymer and Krane 25).

= Sub Disicplines Of Bioinformatics =

There are three main sub disciplines of bioinformatics:


 * 1) “The development of new algorithms and figures with which to measure associations with members of large data sets” (“National Center for Biotechnology Information”).
 * 2) “The examination and understanding of a variety of types of data including; nucleotide and amino acid sequences, protein domains, and protein structures” (“ National Center for Biotechnology Information” ).
 * 3) “The development and execution of equipment that allow for efficient access and management of various types of information” (“National Center for Biotechnology Information”).

= History =

Bioinformatics was created when the use of computers was found to be essential (Danchin 66). Moreover, Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary and quickly developing field that has emerged from the fields of biology, chemistry, and computer science (Zadeh 43). For a long time, humans have wondered about the mechanisms of inheritance, evolution, disease and the nature of life itself. Fifty years ago, James Watson and Francis Crick suggested that DNA is the genetic material responsible for inheritance. This examination led to a recovery of the study of biology that has brought with it amazing advances. For example, the entire human genome: which is the complete set of genetic information within each human cell, has now been determined. Understanding these genetic instructions will most definitely allow scientists to understand more about biology than ever before. Namely, scientists will have a greater understanding of the nature of diseases and their cures. Furthermore scientists will be better able to identify the mechanisms underlying biological process such as growth and aging. Finally, be able to more clearly track our evolution and its relationship with other species (Doom, Raymer and Krane 24).

The first bioinformatics database was built a few years after the first protein sequences began to become accessible. The first protein sequence reported was that of bovine insulin in 1956. “Nearly a decade later, the first nucleic acid sequence was reported, which was of yeast alanine tRNA with 77 bases” (Asthana). A few years later, Dayhoff collected all the obtainable sequence data and created the first bioinformatics database. The Protein DataBank was then created with a compilation of ten X-ray crystallographic protein structures in 1972. An array of different data resources of various types and sizes are now available in two forms; either in public domain or commercial third parties (Asthana).

= Areas of Research =


 * Sequence analysis
 * Computational evolutionary biology
 * Measuring biodiversity
 * Gene expression analysis
 * Regulation analysis
 * Protein expression analysis
 * Analysis of mutations in cancer
 * Structure prediction
 * Comparative genomics
 * Modeling biological systems
 * High throughput image analysis (“Bioinformatics Major research areas”)

= Significance of Bioinformatics in Molecular Medicine =

Scientists have always been able to plot the genomes of an assortment of organisms in the laboratories, the difficult part, however, was storing and compiling the enormous quantity of biological data. For this reason computers had to be utilized in the research fields as there was no other alternative for storing data (Adnan). “Bioinformatics provided this opportunity to the researchers to store the data in the form of databases on computers” (Adnan). The entire work of DNA sequencing could not be done manually, and as such was completed by computers.

If data is given to professional researchers in its raw form, it is unusable. Bioinformatics, however, fixes this problem by “enabling scientists to make biological tools which extract this information from the databases so it can be used for the researches intended purpose” (Adnan). There are three main ways of how bioinformatics tools can be utilized.


 * 1) “Protein sequence can be determined by DNA sequencing” (Adnan).
 * 2) “If protein structure has to be determined then knowledge of protein sequencing is required” (Adnan).
 * 3) “A protein structure enables the determination of protein function” (Adnan).

If all three of these steps are fully complete and understood, then it is simple to comprehend what the biology of an organism is (Adnan).

= See Also  =


 * Wikipedia page
 * Bionet page
 * Information about major research areas in bioinformatics= * [interestpage.html Personal Page]=
 * Roberto's Blog=

= References =

Adnan Amna, "Importance and Applications of Bioinformatics in Molecular Medicine.", Biotech Articles, 2010

Asthana Vaibhav, "Information on a variety of bioinformatics topics.", 2010

"Bioinformatics picture.", 2010

"Bioinformatics Major research areas.", 2010

"Bioinformatics Milestones.","NCBI", 2010

Claverir Jean, and Cedric Notredame, "Bioinformatics for Dummies."],"Wiley Publishing", 2007

Danchin Antoine, A brief history of genome research and bioinformatics in France.", Oxford Journals, 2000

Doom T, Raymer M. and Krane D, History information about bioinformatics.", IEEE, 2004

Zadeh J, History information about bioinformatics.", IEEE, 2004