title: MiRTargetLink--miRNAs, Genes and Interaction Networks.
abstract: Information on miRNA targeting genes is growing rapidly. For high-throughput experiments, but also for targeted analyses of few genes or miRNAs, easy analysis with concise representation of results facilitates the work of life scientists. We developed miRTargetLink, a tool for automating respective analysis procedures that are frequently applied. Input of the web-based solution is either a single gene or single miRNA, but also sets of genes or miRNAs, can be entered. Validated and predicted targets are extracted from databases and an interaction network is presented. Users can select whether predicted targets, experimentally validated targets with strong or weak evidence, or combinations of those are considered. Central genes or miRNAs are highlighted and users can navigate through the network interactively. To discover the most relevant biochemical processes influenced by the target network, gene set analysis and miRNA set analysis are integrated. As a showcase for miRTargetLink, we analyze targets of five cardiac miRNAs. miRTargetLink is freely available without restrictions at www.ccb.uni-saarland.de/mirtargetlink.
authors.affiliation: Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken D-66041, Germany. e.j.m.hamberg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamberg
authors.affiliation: Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken D-66041, Germany. c.backes@mx.uni-saarland.de.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Backes
authors.affiliation: Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken D-66041, Germany. tobias.fehlmann@ccb.uni-saarland.de.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fehlmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg D-66421, Germany. marhar15@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg D-69120, Germany. benjamin.meder@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meder
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg D-66421, Germany. hgemee@uks.eu.
authors.forename: Eckart
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meese
authors.affiliation: Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken D-66041, Germany. andreas.keller@ccb.uni-saarland.de.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D030541:Databases, Genetic; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: genes; interaction networks; miRNAs; miRTargetkLink