title: GenoLink: a graph-based querying and browsing system for investigating the function of genes and proteins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A large variety of biological data can be represented by graphs. These graphs can be constructed from heterogeneous data coming from genomic and post-genomic technologies, but there is still need for tools aiming at exploring and analysing such graphs. This paper describes GenoLink, a software platform for the graphical querying and exploration of graphs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GenoLink provides a generic framework for representing and querying data graphs. This framework provides a graph data structure, a graph query engine, allowing to retrieve sub-graphs from the entire data graph, and several graphical interfaces to express such queries and to further explore their results. A query consists in a graph pattern with constraints attached to the vertices and edges. A query result is the set of all sub-graphs of the entire data graph that are isomorphic to the pattern and satisfy the constraints. The graph data structure does not rely upon any particular data model but can dynamically accommodate for any user-supplied data model. However, for genomic and post-genomic applications, we provide a default data model and several parsers for the most popular data sources. GenoLink does not require any programming skill since all operations on graphs and the analysis of the results can be carried out graphically through several dedicated graphical interfaces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GenoLink is a generic and interactive tool allowing biologists to graphically explore various sources of information. GenoLink is distributed either as a standalone application or as a component of the Genostar/Iogma platform. Both distributions are free for academic research and teaching purposes and can be requested at academy@genostar.com. A commercial licence form can be obtained for profit company at info@genostar.com. See also http://www.genostar.org.
authors.affiliation: Hybrigenics SA, 3-5 Impasse Reille, 75014 Paris, France. Patrick.Durand@inria.fr
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Labarre
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meil
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Divo
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vandenbrouck
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viari
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wojcik
mesh_terms: D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003628:Database Management Systems; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D005796:Genes / Q000502:physiology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins