Generalizing genetical genomics: getting added value from environmental perturbation.
Genetical genomics is a useful approach for studying the effect of genetic perturbations on biological systems at the molecular level. However, molecular networks depend on the environmental conditions and, thus, a comprehensive understanding of biological systems requires studying them across multiple environments. We propose a generalization of genetical genomics, which combines genetic and sensibly chosen environmental perturbations, to study the plasticity of molecular networks. This strategy forms a crucial step toward understanding why individuals respond differently to drugs, toxins, pathogens, nutrients and other environmental influences. Here we outline a strategy for selecting and allocating individuals to particular treatments, and we discuss the promises and pitfalls of the generalized genetical genomics approach.
Li
Yang
Y
Groningen Bioinformatics Centre, University of Groningen, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands.
Breitling
Rainer
R
Jansen
Ritsert C
RC
D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005828:Genetics, Population / Q000379:methods; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci