BACKGROUND: It is sufficient to reprogram somatic cells, through transduction of some core transcription factors, into pluripotent stem cells (iPS) that exhibit the essential characteristics of embryonic stem (ES) cells. At present, the complex mechanism is not yet fully understood.OBJECTIVE: To study the protein interaction networks related to core transcription factors target genes in embryonic stem cells and to obtain regulatory mechanism controlled "stemness".METHODS: Non-redundant protein interaction data (NRPD) were obtained after removal of redundant data in BioGRID database.Protein interaction pairs, formed by the target genes, were extracted by perl program and the largest continuous protein interaction networks were obtained through searching NRPD using breadth-first search algorithm. At the same time, 1 000 random networks were analyzed and compared. At last, network visualization was analyzed through the Cytoscape software and network characteristics were explained using complex scale-free network model of Barabasi-Albert.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION : More protein interaction pairs and larger continuous protein network, statistically significant difference compared with random genes, were formed by core transcription factor target genes. The continuous protein network is scale-free characteristics of complex networks. This study has suggested that target genes may regulate synergistically "stemness" characteristics of embryonic stem cells through close interaction and forming a network module.%背景:外源性核心转录因子导入终末分化细胞能产生具有与胚胎干细胞特性相似的诱导多潜能干细胞,其复杂机制目前尚未完全阐明.目的:分析核心转录因子靶基因集蛋白互作网络特征,获得其影响"干性"特征的调控机制.方法:去除BioGRID数据库中的冗余数据,获得非冗余蛋白互作数据库.perl程序搜索靶基因集组成的蛋白互作对,广度优先算法搜索非冗余蛋白互作数据库,获得靶基因集组成的最大连续蛋白互作网络,同时进行1 000次随机抽样网络分析.通过Cytoscape软件对网络进行可视化分析.复杂无标度网络Barabasi-Albert模型分析网络特征.结果与结论:核心转录因子靶基因集形成更多的蛋白互作对,最大连续蛋白网络与随机蛋白网络相比具有明显的统计学差异,且核心转录因子靶基因集形成更大的互作网络.网络具有复杂网络无标度特性.该研究通过蛋白互作网络分析证明:靶基因集通过紧密相互作用,形成网络模块方式协调调控胚胎干细胞分子特性.
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