Rich-club phenomenon in the interactome of P. falciparum--artifact or signature of a parasitic life style?

ABSTRACT: Recent advances have provided a first experimental protein interaction map of the human malaria parasite P. falciparum, which appears to be remotely related to interactomes of other eukaryotes. Here, we present a comparative topological analysis of this experimentally determined web with a network of conserved interactions between proteins in S. cerevisiae, C. elegans and D. melanogaster that have an ortholog in Plasmodium. Focusing on experimental interactions, we find a significant presence of a "rich-club," a topological characteristic that features an "oligarchy" of highly connected proteins being intertwined with one another. In complete contrast, the network of interologs and particularly the web of evolutionary-conserved interactions in P. falciparum lack this feature. This observat

SUBMITTER: Wuchty S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1829176 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature