ABSTRACT
The onset of genome sequencing has brought about significant changes in the way biological data are accumulated and has radically transformed the process of biological discovery. Before the availability of complete genome sequences from unicellular or multicellular organisms, biological observations were conducted predominantly by means of an experiment that generally focused on the study of a single gene or gene product. With the entire genetic inventory of organisms available, molecular biologists and biochemists are faced with the task of analyzing the actions and interactions of hundreds or thousands of molecular components. This enormous task is feasible due to an impressive collection of sophisticated data-mining and -analysis tools that biologists depend on as well as an ever-increasing acceptance of computational analyses of their system of study. The ultimate goal of such analyses is to produce precise molecular models to support and justify detailed maps of biochemical functions and interactions at the cellular level.
