Systems biology of virus-host signaling network interactions

• Main Authors: Qiong Xue, Kathryn Miller-Jensen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2012-04-01
• Series: BMB Reports
• Subjects: Signaling; Systems biology; Viral infection
• Online Access: http://bmbreports.org/jbmb/pdf.php?data=MTMxMTA4MTZAcGRmX3JhaW50cmFjZV9sZWV5c0AlNUI0NS00JTVEMTIwNDI2MTg1OF8lMjgyMTMtMjIwJTI5Qk1CXzQ1LTRfTWluaXJldmlldy5wZGY=

Viruses have evolved to manipulate the host cell machinery forvirus propagation, in part by interfering with the host cellularsignaling network. Molecular studies of individual pathwayshave uncovered many viral host-protein targets; however, it isdifficult to predict how viral perturbations will affect thesignaling network as a whole. Systems biology approaches relyon multivariate, context-dependent measurements and computationalanalysis to elucidate how viral infection alters hostcell signaling at a network level. Here we describe recentadvances in systems analyses of signaling networks in bothviral and non-viral biological contexts. These approaches havethe potential to uncover virus- mediated changes to hostsignaling networks, suggest new therapeutic strategies, andassess how cell-to-cell variability affects host responses toinfection. We argue that systems approaches will both improveunderstanding of how individual virus-host protein interactionsfit into the progression of viral pathogenesis and help toidentify novel therapeutic targets. [BMB reports 2012; 45(4):213-220]