Final Report Summary - STEROLTALK (Functional genomics of complex regulatory networks from yeast to human: cross-talk of sterol homeostasis and drug metabolism)
The STEROLTALK goal to build an in silico model that would predict the action of the novel hypolipidemic drugs, has thus fully been reached. Additionally, the Byesian approach to construction of gene regulatory networks has led to the prediction of another transcriptional regulator of the cholesterol synthesis, which has been proven experimentally. Furthermore, proteomic tools (two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and nLC-MS) have been established, optimised and successfully used for the analysis of human hepatocytes. In addition to already known players, proteins not yet known to be involved in STEROLTALK relevant regulation processes were found to be differentially regulated. Last but not least, the STEROLTALK database served as a share point for the exchange of experimental protocols and samples with unique Steroltalk coded signatures. The database served as well as a repository for the transcriptome and RT-PCR data, applying the Base 2.7.2. software that includes the MIAME standard of the minimal required information about a microarray experiment.
It is important to note that the formal end of the EU funding of the STEROLTALK does not mean an end to the developed STEROLTALK tools, models and samples. The University of Ljubljana, where the scientific coordination took place, will continue to maintain and upgrade the STEROLTALK database in collaboration with Crea, d.o.o. P10 of this project. The database will remain available to the STEROLTALK partners without additional cost for one year and will be continued afterwards with the shared cost contribution.
Additionally, the model of the successful sharepoint within an international consortium, for experiment, protocol and sample exchange, will be used as a template in planning research under the current and future Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) systems biology calls. Also other STEROLTALK tools will remain alive in further research - the idea of a dedicated microarray that, in combination with commercial pan-genomic arrays, leads to a much quicker hypothesis formulation; the collection of STEROLTALK antibodies and the heterologous expression of STEROLTALK proteins in the yeast, will be very helpful in further research and can as well find commercial application. Additionally, research samples, such as mouse livers, human and mouse RNAs and other isolates, remain available for additional analyses within the broader scientific community. These valuable research samples from well controlled STEROLTALK experiments can contribute to a quicker solving of the questions regarding the cholesterol synthesis and drug metabolism networks that remained un-answered after the three-year STEROLTALK period.