Protein interaction networks are maps of the physical and functional associations among proteins within a cell, representing the molecular wiring through which proteins cooperate to carry out biological processes. In these networks, proteins are nodes and their interactions are edges, and analyzing the resulting top…
Protein interaction networks are maps of the physical and functional associations among proteins within a cell, representing the molecular wiring through which proteins cooperate to carry out biological processes. In these networks, proteins are nodes and their interactions are edges, and analyzing the resulting topology reveals how proteins are organized into complexes, pathways, and modules, and which proteins act as highly connected hubs central to cellular function. Such networks are constructed from experimental and computational evidence. Proteomic methods, including affinity purification coupled with tandem mass spectrometry and large-scale label-free proteomic profiling, identify proteins that associate physically, while bioinformatic integration of genomic data, such as disease-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms and gene expression, links network members to phenotypes and pathology. Combining these approaches helps pinpoint proteins implicated in disease mechanisms, for example in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and connects molecular interactions to metabolic and clinical states. Studying protein interaction networks supports the identification of drug targets, the prediction of protein function from network context, and the understanding of how perturbations propagate through cellular systems. The field draws on biotechnology, bioinformatics, and systems biology, using network analysis to move beyond individual molecules toward an integrated view of how proteins collectively sustain health and contribute to disease.
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