Advances and Applications of Bioinformatics in Various Fields of Life
Advances and Applications of Bioinformatics in Various Fields of Life
Advances and Applications of Bioinformatics in Various Fields of Life
ISSN 2347-2677
IJFBS 2018; 5(2): 03-10
Received: 04-01-2018
Advances and applications of Bioinformatics in various
Accepted: 05-02-2018 fields of life
M Younus Wani
Temperate Sericulture Research M Younus Wani, NA Ganie, S Rani, S Mehraj, MR Mir, MF Baqual, KA
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST-
Kashmir, J&K, India Sahaf, FA Malik and KA Dar
NA Ganie
Temperate Sericulture Research
Abstract
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST-
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary area of the science composed of biology, mathematics and
Kashmir, J&K, India computer science. Bioinformatics is the application of information technology to manage biological data
that helps in decoding plant genomes. The field of bioinformatics emerged as a tool to facilitate
S Rani biological discoveries more than 10 years ago. With the development of Human Genome Project (HGP),
Temperate Sericulture Research the data of biology increased fabulously and marvelously. The ability to capture, manage, process,
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST- analyze and interpret data became more important than ever. Bioinformatics and computers can help
Kashmir, J&K, India scientists to solve it. Here are introduced roles of bioinformatics, meanwhile Web tools and resources of
bioinformatics are reviewed and its applications in agriculture and relevance with other disciplines is also
S Mehraj highlighted. Application of various bioinformatics tools in biological research enables storage, retrieval,
Temperate Sericulture Research analysis, annotation and visualization of results and promotes better understanding of biological system
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST- in fullness. This will help in animal and plant health care based disease diagnosis and treatment.
Kashmir, J&K, India
Keywords: annotation, agriculture, bioinformatics, disease diagnosis, health and web tools
MR Mir
Temperate Sericulture Research
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST- Introduction
Kashmir, J&K, India Term Bioinformatics was coined by Paulien Hogeweg and Ben Hesper in 1970 as the study of
informatic processes in biotic systems. Bioinformatics deals with computational management
MF Baqual
Temperate Sericulture Research
and analysis of biological information (genes, genomes, proteins, cells, ecological systems,
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST- medical information, robots, artificial intelligence etc.
Kashmir, J&K, India The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI 2001) defined Bioinformatics as
the field of science in which biology, computer science, and information technology merge
KA Sahaf into a single discipline. Fredj Tekaia at the Institute Pasteur defines bioinformatics the
Temperate Sericulture Research
mathematical, statistical and computing methods that aim to solve biological problems using
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST-
Kashmir, J&K, India DNA and amino acid sequences and related information. Since the sequencing of the first
complete microbial genome of Haemophilus influenzae in 1995 hundreds of microbial
FA Malik genomes have been sequenced and archived for public research in Gen Bank. The vast amount
Temperate Sericulture Research of data generated by genome sequencing projects is becoming unmanageable. Bioinformatics
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST- has silently filled in the role of cost effective data analysis. Bioinformatics analysis has
Kashmir, J&K, India
enhanced our understandings about the genome structure and the microorganism restructuring
KA Dar process. Bioinformatics has emerged as an essential field of science that is facilitating
Temperate Sericulture Research biological discoveries since more than a decade. Without the usage of bioinformatics tools it is
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST- merely impossible to capture, manage process, analyse and interpret the huge amounts data
Kashmir, J&K, India that is available especially after whole genome sequencing projects. The sequencing of the
genomes of plants and animals will have enormous benefits for the agricultural community.
Bioinformatics tools can be used to search for the genes within these genomes and to elucidate
their functions. This specific genetic knowledge could then be used to produce stronger,
drought, disease and insect resistant crops and improve the quality. In agriculture it helps in
the insect resistance, improve nutritional quality, rational plant improvement, waste cleanup,
climate change studies, and development of drought resistance varieties (Dahiya and Lata,
2017) [4] and in addition to this it also plays an important roles in biotechnology, antibiotic
resistance, and forensic analysis of microbes, comparative studies, evolutionary studies and
Correspondence veterinary Sciences
M Younus Wani
Temperate Sericulture Research
Institute, Mirgund, SKUAST-
History of Bioinformatics
Kashmir, J&K, India 1865: Father of Genetics: Gregor Mendel discovers the concept of genetic inheritance
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1930: Electrophoresis introduced between the various systems of a cell, including the
1953: Watson and Crick suggest double-helix model for DNA interrelationship of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis and
1955: Bovine Insulin is first protein to be sequenced learning how these interactions are regulated. Researchers in
1978: the term Bioinformatics first used molecular biology use specific techniques native to molecular
1984: FASTP algorithm program published biology, but increasingly combine these with techniques and
1990: BLAST program published ideas from genetics and biochemistry. There is not a hard-line
1994: PRINTS database published between these disciplines as there once was. Molecular
1995: First bacterial genomes sequenced biology is the study of molecular underpinnings of the process
2000: EMOTIF database released of replication, transcription and translation of the genetic
material. The central dogma of molecular biology where
Why is bioinformatics important genetic material is transcribed into RNA and then translated
Bioinformatics has developed out of the need to understand into protein, despite being an oversimplified picture of
the code of life that is DNA, the massive DNA sequencing molecular biology, still provides a good starting point for
projects have evolved and added in the growth of the science understanding the field. Much of the work in molecular
of bioinformatics. The ultimate goal of bioinformatics is to biology is quantitative, and recently much work has been
uncover the wealth of biological information hidden in the done at the interface of molecular biology and computer
mass of sequence, structure, literature and other biological science in bioinformatics and computational biology.
data.
Genomics
Components of Bioinformatics Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of science within the
Technology and Computing power field of molecular biology. A genome is a complete set of
Technology is the collection of techniques, skills, methods, DNA within a single cell of an organism, and as such, focuses
and processes applied to make life easier. Technology can be on the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of
the knowledge of techniques, processes. genomes. Genomics aims at the collective characterization
Computing power is the ability to undertake or be used for and quantification of genes, which direct the production of
computation. Specifically the ability of a computer to perform proteins with the assistance of enzymes and messenger
work, often considered in terms of the number of instructions molecules. Genomics also involves the sequencing and
that can be carried out in a given time, or with reference to the analysis of genomes. Advances in genomics have triggered a
amount of random access memory present. revolution in discovery-based research to understand even the
most currently complex biological systems such as the brain.
Creation of databases In contrast to genetics, which refers to the study of individual
This involves the organizing, storage and management the genes and their roles in inheritance, genomics uses high
biological data sets. The databases are accessible to throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatics to assemble,
researchers to know the existing information and submit new and analyze the function and structure of entire genomes.
entries, e.g. protein sequence data bank for molecular
structure. Databases will be of no use until analysed. Computer sciences
The study of the theory, experimentation, and engineering that
Development of algorithms and statistics form the basis for the design and use of computers. It is the
This involves the development of tools and resources to scientific and practical approach to computation and its
determine the relationship among the members of large data applications and the systematic study of the feasibility,
sets e.g. comparison of protein sequence data with the already structure, expression, and mechanization of the
existing protein sequences. methodical procedures (or algorithms) that underlie the
acquisition, representation, processing, storage,
Analysis of data and interpretation communication of, and access to information. An alternate,
The appropriate use of components to analyse the data and more succinct definition of computer science is the study of
interpret the results in a biologically meaningful manner. This automating algorithmic processes that scale. A computer
includes DNA, RNA and protein sequences, protein structure, scientist specializes in the theory of computation and the
gene expression profiles and biochemical pathways. design of computational systems. Its fields can be divided into
a variety of theoretical and disciplines. Some fields, such
Computational Biology as computational complexity theory (which explores the
Broadly speaking, computational biology is the application of fundamental properties of computational and intractable
computer science, statistics, and mathematics to problems in problems), are highly abstract, while fields such as computer
biology. Computational biology spans a wide range of fields graphics emphasize real-world visual applications. Other
within biology, including genomics/genetics, biophysics, cell fields still focus on challenges in implementing computation.
biology, biochemistry, and evolution. Likewise, it makes use For example, programming language theory considers various
of tools and techniques from many different quantitative approaches to the description of computation, while the study
fields, including algorithm design, machine learning, of computer programming itself investigates various aspects
Bayesian and frequentist statistics, and statistical physics. of the use of programming language and complex systems.
Human–computer interaction considers the challenges in
Molecular biology making computers and computations useful, usable,
Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. and universally accessible to humans.
The field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, Bioinformatics brings together large data bases of biological
particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology information and computational techniques of analysis.
chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions
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International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies
process spread of cancer from one organ to another non- chemical compounds to generate charged molecules or
adjacent organ cause death in patients. The major challenge in molecule fragments and measuring their mass to charge
medicine to describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms ratios. MALDI-TOF is the most useful technique for protein
underlying tumor metastasis. Analyse the protein expressions identification.
correlated to the metastatic process which help to understand
the mechanism of metastasis and thus facilitate the Human Genome Project
development of strategies for the therapeutic interventions Genomics is the study of the genome of an organism - its
and clinical management of cancer. Proteomics is a entire genetic material in the form of RNA, DNA, genes and
systematic research, the main aim of this research is to chromosomes. It concentrates on understanding the structure
characterize the protein expressions, functions of tumor cells and function of an organism's genetic material from the
and widely used in biomarker discovery. molecular level upwards, including interactions between
genes, interactions between genes and the proteins they
Bio-medical applications produce, and interactions between genes and environmental
The study of interactions between microbial pathogens and factors.
their hosts is called “infectomics”. It is very interesting area in Human Genome Project (HGP) is the name for an
proteomics. It deals with the fundamentals of the infections international consortium of publicly funded projects to
origin and their effect on organs. The main aim of this sequence the human genome and map every gene on every
research is to prevent or cure disease at starting level. chromosome. The consortium includes the US Department of
Advanced diagnostic issues related to emerging infections, Energy, the US National Institutes of Health and the UK
increasing of fastidious bacteria, and generation of patient- Welcome Trust, alongside groups in Japan, France, Germany,
tailored phenotypes. China, and other countries. HGP Began in 1990 and was
successfully completed in April 2003.
Agricultural applications The main aims of the Human Genome Project are to
Stress is a key limiting factor that impairs the growth and Determine the sequence of the three billion or so nucleotides
yield of agricultural crops. Stressful conditions often lead to that constitute the human genome.
delayed seed germination, reduced plant growth, and Identify the 20,000 to 25,000 genes in the human genome.
decreased crop yield. Proteins associated with the primary Develop tools for storing and analyzing this information.
function of an organ are specifically accumulated in that Transfer some of the technologies involved to the private
organ/tissue or organelle. The need for organ-specific sector, to produce a biotechnology industry that can develop
proteomic analyses to identify proteins that are commonly new medical applications.
accumulated in organs under a wide range of abiotic stresses Examine the ethical, social and legal implications of the
(Komatsu and Hossain, 2013) [8]. Jacoby et al., (2013) [7] information obtained.
described the application of the emerging proteomic The HGP uses the so-called hierarchical shotgun sequencing
technology of multiplexed selective-reaction monitoring MS, technique, in which the genome is divided into relatively large
which has increased accuracy and throughput, for enhancing sections that are mapped onto the appropriate chromosomes
these approaches and providing a clear method to rank the before being sequence. Every single cell in the body contains
relative importance of the growing cohort of stress-responsive a complete copy of the approximately 3 billion DNA base
proteins. The applications of plant proteomics scientific pairs.
research is still in budding stage. Proteomics is also used to
know plant-insect interactions that help identify candidate Life Science Vs Computer Science
genes involved in the defensive response of plants to Scientific algorithms made it possible to put together a vast
herbivore. Population growth and effect of global climate amount of data from sequencing machines when the human
changes imposing severe limits on the sustainability of genome was sequenced. Computer science’s computational
agricultural crop production. paradigm has shaped new modes of inquiry in life sciences.
metabolic pathways like the pathway for the carbohydrate their patients healthy. It is also a unique medical subject
production. Genes in the ABA production pathway are affiliated by the American Board of Medical Specialties
important for the development of drought resistant varieties. (ABMS). Preventive Medicine attentions on the health of
KEGG databases can be important in identifying the pathway individuals, communities, and defined populations. It is also
for carbohydrate production and ABA production. After the helpful for the treatment for obesity, blindness. The
identification of the pathway the genes involved in the same Epidemiology Division used research methods to understand
pathway are studied for the development. the patterns and causes of health and disease in the population
Progress has been made in developing cereal varieties that and to transform this knowledge into programs designed to
have a greater tolerance for soil alkalinity, free aluminium and stop disease. The division has a lengthy history of association
iron toxicities. These varieties will allow agriculture to in NIH-sponsored multi-site, longitudinal cohort studies, and
succeed in poorer soil areas, thus adding more land to the its faculty oversees many investigator-initiated, NIH
global production base. Research is also in progress to sponsored research projects and trials. Public trust in vaccines
produce crop varieties capable of tolerating reduced water is a key to the success of immunization programs worldwide
conditions. The publication of the completed Arabidopsis in the era of preventive medicine. Preventive medicine or
thaliana genome sequence (Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, preventive care contains of measures engaged to prevent
2000) [2] and draft sequence for rice genome (Goff et al., diseases in stand of curing and treating their symptoms. Many
2002) [5], the plant research and industry has step over the different techniques such as curative and palliative medicine,
threshold of the genomics era. and applied public health methods (Tiwari, 2015) [12].
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