genome
Definition
A genome is the complete set of genetic material (DNA or RNA) present in an organism, including all of its genes and non-coding sequences. It encompasses the entire hereditary information required for an organism to develop, function, and reproduce. In humans, the genome consists of approximately 3 billion base pairs organized into 23 chromosome pairs, encoding roughly 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome serves as the blueprint for all cellular processes and represents the foundational layer of omics data. Understanding genome structure, organization, and variation is critical for identifying disease-causing mutations, predicting drug responses, and elucidating evolutionary relationships. Genome sequencing technologies have revolutionized biomedical research by enabling comprehensive analysis of genetic variation, gene regulation, and genotype-phenotype relationships.
Visualize genome in Nodes Bio
Researchers can visualize genomic data as networks in Nodes Bio by mapping genes as nodes and their relationships as edges. This enables exploration of gene co-expression patterns, regulatory interactions, and chromosomal organization. Users can integrate genomic variants with protein interaction networks to identify disease pathways, overlay expression data to reveal functional modules, or trace causal relationships between genetic variants and phenotypes through multi-omics network integration.
Visualization Ideas:
- Gene co-expression networks showing functionally related genes
- Chromosomal interaction maps displaying 3D genome organization
- Variant-to-phenotype networks linking genetic mutations to disease outcomes
Example Use Case
A cancer genomics team sequences tumor samples from 200 patients to identify driver mutations. They discover recurrent mutations in 15 genes but need to understand how these genes interact. Using Nodes Bio, they construct a network connecting mutated genes to their protein interaction partners and downstream signaling pathways. The visualization reveals that mutations cluster in three distinct pathway modules related to cell cycle control, DNA repair, and immune evasion. This network-based approach helps prioritize combination therapy targets by identifying key regulatory hubs that could be targeted simultaneously.