InterPro is an integrated database of predictive protein signatures used for the classification and automatic annotation of proteins and genomes. As InterPro curators, we are responsible for assimilating information from our member databases and communicating it to our end users in a way that adds value to each individual signature. We categorise signatures according to their type (for example, Family, Domain or Repeat) and annotate entries with links to other databases, abstracts and protein matches.
The InterPro database also identifies relationships between entries. For example, signatures at a general Family level are related to more specific subfamilies through a Parent/Child relationship. Families may also Contain individual Domains. In this manner, we aim to build up a hierarchy of InterPro entries that correctly represents relationships between biological families and domains. Users may then easily identify related proteins and signatures as the InterPro database attempts to map out biological hierarchies. Here we discuss InterPro relations, the criteria for their formation and how they may be useful to users. We will also discuss the challenges of representing biological hierarchies when automating relationship formation and the role manual curation plays in ensuring that we accurately represent biological networks.
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