Bioinformatics

Introduction

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for understanding biological data, particularly when the data sets are large and complex. As an interdisciplinary field of science, bioinformatics combines biology, computer science, information engineering, mathematics and statistics to analyze and interpret biological data.

A computer screen displaying a complex biological data set.

A computer screen displaying a complex biological data set.

History

The term 'bioinformatics' was first used in 1970 and its definition was first given in 1978. The field of bioinformatics experienced explosive growth starting in the mid-1990s, driven largely by the Human Genome Project and by rapid advances in DNA sequencing technology.

Goals

The primary goal of bioinformatics is to increase the understanding of biological processes. What sets it apart from other approaches, however, is its focus on developing and applying computationally intensive techniques to achieve this goal. Examples include pattern recognition, data mining, machine learning algorithms, and visualization.

A scientist working on a computer, analyzing biological data.

A scientist working on a computer, analyzing biological data.

Data Analysis

Bioinformatics has been used for in silico analyses of biological queries using mathematical and statistical techniques. It involves the computational organization and analysis of biological data, particularly genomic data, to aid in the understanding of the genetic basis of diseases, the effects of drugs, and the evolutionary relationships between species.

Sequence Analysis

Sequence analysis in bioinformatics involves the use of computational tools to analyze, predict and compare DNA, RNA and protein sequences. This includes tasks such as identifying genes, predicting protein structure and function, aligning different DNA and protein sequences to compare them and creating and viewing 3D models of protein structures.

A 3D model of a protein structure on a computer screen.

A 3D model of a protein structure on a computer screen.

Genomics

Genomics is a discipline in genetics that applies recombinant DNA, DNA sequencing methods, and bioinformatics to sequence, assemble, and analyze the function and structure of genomes (the complete set of DNA within a single cell of an organism).

Proteomics

Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, with many functions. The term proteomics was coined in 1997, in analogy to genomics, the study of the genome.

A scientist examining a large-scale study of proteins on a computer.

A scientist examining a large-scale study of proteins on a computer.

Structural Bioinformatics

Structural bioinformatics is the branch of bioinformatics that deals with the analysis and prediction of the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules such as proteins, RNA, and DNA. It deals with generalizations about macromolecular 3D structures such as comparisons of overall folds and local motifs, principles of molecular folding, evolution, and binding interactions.

Network and Systems Biology

Network and systems biology are two closely related sub-fields of bioinformatics. Network biology is about the development and application of computational methods to study how genes, proteins, metabolites, and other molecules interact to carry out biological functions. Systems biology, on the other hand, is about understanding how these interactions result in the function of the system as a whole.

A complex network of genes, proteins, metabolites, and other molecules on a computer screen.

A complex network of genes, proteins, metabolites, and other molecules on a computer screen.

Databases

Bioinformatics research and application heavily rely on databases to obtain necessary information. The development and maintenance of these databases represent a broad area of work.

Future Directions

Bioinformatics continues to evolve and expand, with new methods and tools being developed to keep pace with the rapidly growing body of biological data. Future directions include more sophisticated methods for data analysis, integration of data from multiple sources, and the development of tools to make bioinformatics more accessible to scientists in other fields.

A futuristic depiction of bioinformatics, with complex data visualizations on a computer screen.

A futuristic depiction of bioinformatics, with complex data visualizations on a computer screen.

See Also

• Computational Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Biostatistics