Researchers have recognized different gene tissue functions implemented from core biological machinery. It largely shared across tissues, rather than from their own individual regulators.

Researcher at Kimberly Glass, PhD, of the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and her team explain PANDA Passing Attributes between Networks for Data Assimilation to create network models. The interactions between transcription factors and genes, finding that the presence of different tissue functions is the result of subtle, tissue-specific shifts in a regulatory network.

Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) consortium

For each tissue-specific functions the network core components are same. In different ways with added genetic and environmental information. The team analyzed data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) consortium. Among other regulatory information sources, to reconstruct and characterize regulatory networks for 38 tissues.

The model PANDA created by Glass and her team in 2013. Recognized for this investigation it exactly model interactions between transcription factors. To control where, when and to what extent genes get activated. An important step in understanding patterns in the network and genes is complex interactions between transcription factors. Further, it inform how gene regulation implements a variety of specific tissue functions.

There are approximately 30,000 genes in the human genome

Moreover, the specific tissue function regulation is largely independent of transcription factor. There are approximately 30,000 genes in the human genome. But less than 2,000 of them encode transcription factors.

“A large number of processes must carry out for a tissue to function properly,” said Glass. “Rather than activating particular transcription factors to carry out these various processes. We find the networks connecting these regulators to target genes is reconfigured to more effectively coordinate the activation of tissue functions.”

However, the work highlights the importance of specific tissues when developing drug therapies. Shifted regulatory networks control different functions. More important in order to understand the potential side effects of drugs outside of the target tissue.