DroPNet: A web portal for integrated analysis of Drosophila protein-protein interaction networks

Abstract

DroPNet (Drosophila Protein Network) is a Drosophila-dedicated web portal for generating and analyzing protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks. This platform integrates users' experimental data provided as one or two lists of genes with PPI data from Drosophila and other species. These experimental data can, for example, come from RNAi screens, for which this approach is known to be valuable. DroPNet, therefore, provides an essential basis for further biological analysis by linking functional and physical interactions and reinforcing the relevance of each. DroPNet focuses on the search of PPIs between genes of the entry list, and includes the possibility of searching for intermediate genes for which the corresponding protein indirectly links two entry data. It also offers multiple functions for editing the networks obtained, providing users with interactive possibilities to progressively improve and refine the results. This approach gives a global view of the studied process and makes it possible to highlight specific interactions that have so far been understudied. DroPNet is freely available at http://dropnet.isima.fr. © 2012 The Author(s).