title: A critical analysis of the combined usage of protein localization prediction methods: Increasing the number of independent data sets can reduce the accuracy of predicted mitochondrial localization.
abstract: In the absence of a comprehensive experimentally derived mitochondrial proteome, several bioinformatic approaches have been developed to aid the identification of novel mitochondrial disease genes within mapped nuclear genetic loci. Often, many classifiers are combined to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the predictions. Here we show that the greatest sensitivity and specificity are obtained by using a combination of seven carefully selected classifiers. We also show that increasing the number of independent prediction methods can paradoxically decrease the accuracy of predicting mitochondrial localization. This approach will help to accelerate the identification of new mitochondrial disease genes by providing a principled way for the selection for combination of appropriate prediction methods of mitochondrial localization of proteins.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, Newcastle University, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3BZ, UK.
authors.forename: Kieren T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lythgow
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andras
authors.forename: Patrick F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Chinnery
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins