Framework for a protein ontology

Darren A. Natale, Cecilia N. Arighi, Winona C. Barker, Judith Blake, Ti Cheng Chang, Zhangzhi Hu, Hongfang Liu, Barry Smith, Cathy H. Wu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

69 Scopus citations

Abstract

Biomedical ontologies are emerging as critical tools in genomic and proteomic research, where complex data in disparate resources need to be integrated. A number of ontologies describe properties that can be attributed to proteins. For example, protein functions are described by the Gene Ontology (GO) and human diseases by SNOMED CT or ICD10. There is, however, a gap in the current set of ontologies - one that describes the protein entities themselves and their relationships. We have designed the PRotein Ontology (PRO) to facilitate protein annotation and to guide new experiments. The components of PRO extend from the classification of proteins on the basis of evolutionary relationships to the representation of the multiple protein forms of a gene (products generated by genetic variation, alternative splicing, proteolytic cleavage, and other post-translational modifications). PRO will allow the specification of relationships between PRO, GO and other ontologies in the OBO Foundry. Here we describe the initial development of PRO, illustrated using human and mouse proteins involved in the transforming growth factor-beta and bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathways.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberS1
JournalBMC bioinformatics
Volume8
Issue numberSUPPL. 9
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 27 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Structural Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Framework for a protein ontology'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this