NeuroGeM, a knowledgebase of genetic modifiers in neurodegenerative diseases.
BACKGROUND
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by the progressive loss of neurons in the human brain. Although the majority of NDs are sporadic, evidence is accumulating that they have a strong genetic component. Therefore, significant efforts have been made in recent years to not only identify disease-causing genes but also genes that modify the severity of NDs, so-called genetic modifiers. To date there exists no compendium that lists and cross-links genetic modifiers of different NDs.


METHODS
In order to address this need, we present NeuroGeM, the first comprehensive knowledgebase providing integrated information on genetic modifiers of nine different NDs in the model organisms D. melanogaster, C. elegans, and S. cerevisiae. NeuroGeM cross-links curated genetic modifier information from the different NDs and provides details on experimental conditions used for modifier identification, functional annotations, links to homologous proteins and color-coded protein-protein interaction networks to visualize modifier interactions. We demonstrate how this database can be used to generate new understanding through meta-analysis. For instance, we reveal that the Drosophila genes DnaJ-1, thread, Atx2, and mub are generic modifiers that affect multiple if not all NDs.


CONCLUSIONS
As the first compendium of genetic modifiers, NeuroGeM will assist experimental and computational scientists in their search for the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying NDs. http://chibi.ubc.ca/neurogem.
Dokyun
D
Na
Mushfiqur
M
Rouf
Cahir J
CJ
O'Kane
David C
DC
Rubinsztein
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Centre for High-throughput Biology, University of British Columbia, 2125 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. gsponer@chibi.ubc.ca.
Jörg
J
Gsponer
D000818:Animals; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods*; D057225:Data Mining; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D063990:Gene Ontology; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics*