Fractal Genomics Modeling: A New Approach to Genomic Analysis and Biomarker Discovery

摘要

Recent studies have shown that there arc universal organizing principles present in a broad and diverse group of complex systems. From the Internet, to social networks, to many kinds of biochemical networks, the basic patterns of organization appear to be the same. Within the topology of such networks there appears to a level of modular structure and self-similarity creating what is known as a hierarchical network. Evidence of such hierarchical networks has been found in certain types of biochemical networks bnt has yet to be found within genetic networks. In this paper, we will describc the use of a new gene expression analysis technique known as Fractal Genomics Modeling (FGM) to produce evidence of small gene groupings that appear to be part of a larger hierarchical network. We will also identify specific gene groupings, consisting of a small number of genes, which can serve as genetic markers (biomarkers) identified with particular forms of phenotypical expression associated with Downs Syndrome and HIV-1 infection in the brain.