Bioinformatics The application of computer science to biological data

1. BioinformaticsThe application of computer science to biological data Tony C Smith Department of Computer Science University of Waikato tcs@cs.waikato.ac.nz

2. The essence is prediction … My dog is very littl_ ? • We know that letters do not occur in English at random (e.g. ‘t’ is more common than ‘x’) • We know that context changes the probability of a letter (e.g. ‘x’ is more common than ‘t’ after the sequence “I eat Weet-Bi_”) Predicting symbols is fundamental to a wide range of important applications (e.g. encryption, compression) Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

3. Prediction in bioinformatics • Predicting the location of genes in DNA • Predicting gene roles in an organism • Predicting errors in a genetic transcription • Predicting the function of proteins • Predicting diseases from molecular samples • Anything that involves “making a judgment”; a yes/no decision about whether some sample datum ‘does’ or ‘does not’ have some property. Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

4. Representation W e e t – B i x 0101011101100101011001010111010000101101 … … to the computer, everything is binary! Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

5. 0101011101100101011001010111010000101101 0101101100100111111011010011010000101101 A A C G T C A T T C G A T G A T T C G A Just as we can teach a computer to predict things about a sequence of letters in English prose, we can also teach it to predict things about a other sequences—like a genetic sequence Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

6. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagc Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

7. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagctgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactc Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

8. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagctgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagctgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggcgcggctacgttcatcccagcagcagcgattttaaaattaacgcatcagactctcgtcgcgttcgtcgcctttattcacgctaatggacgacatcttttactacgacggcgcctacgcatcgcagcatacgacgcccagcatagtattttagaggcgaggacatcatcatatcgcagctacagcgcatcagacgcatacgacgacgactacgacgacactaacgacgatgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactcgcatcagtgttgcgcacccacaccagttatatagagacgaactc Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

9. A genetic prediction problem • A gene encodes a protein • It is a blueprint that provides biochemical instructions on how to construct a sequence of amino acids so as to make a working protein that will perform some function in the organism Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

10. RNA RNA RNA RNA RNA transcription factor A genetic prediction problem untranslated region encoding region Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

11. A genetic prediction problem untranslated region Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

12. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggc untranslated region Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

13. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggc What transcription factors bind to this gene? Where is the transcription factor binding site? Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

14. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggc Clues: A binding site is often a short general pattern E.g. CCGATNATCGG Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

15. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggc Clues: The patterns are often reverse complements E.g. CCGATNATCGG GGCTANTAGCC Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

16. A genetic prediction problem ttgcaatcggcgctacgcttcaaaatttattatattcccggc Clues: Where there is one binding site, often there is another nearby. Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

17. A genetic prediction problem All of these properties are the kinds of things for which computer science has developed algorithms and data structures to identify quickly and efficiently, and therefore it is exactly the kind of problem computer scientists should be able to solve. Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

18. proteomics Three consecutive nucleotides in the coding region form a ‘codon’ … i.e. encode an amino acid. A string of amino acids makes a protein. 3 nucleotides, 4 possibilities each: 43 = 64 possible codons But there are only 20 amino acids! Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

19. proteomics There is quite a bit of redundancy in codons. Glycine: GGA, GGC, GGG, GGT Tyrosine: TAT, TAC Methionine: ATG Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

20. Amino Acid R group Amide group Carboxyl group Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

21. Amino Acid tyrosine glycine Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

22. Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

23. Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

24. Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

25. Artificial Intelligence • Computers do things only human brains can otherwise do expert expert Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

26. Artificial Intelligence • Computers do things only human brains can otherwise do expert system expert Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

27. Artificial Intelligence • Computers do things only human brains can otherwise do expert system learning system Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

28. Machine learning • creating computer programs that get better with experience • learn how to make expert judgments • discover previously hidden, potentially useful information (data mining) What is machine learning? How does it work? • user provides learning system with examples of concept to be learned • induction algorithm infers a characteristic model of the examples • model is used to predict whether or not future novel instances are also examples – and it does this very consistently, and very, very quickly! Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

29. Biotechnology • Biologists know proteins, computer scientists know machine learning • Together, they can find out a lot of hidden information about genes and proteins • Biotechnology is a multi-billion dollar industry • Biotechnology is one of the best funded areas of scientific research Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

30. The University of Waikato • Waikato University is the centre of the universe for machine learning • The Machine Learning Group is a large, globally active, well-funded research group • The WEKA workbench of ML tools is used around the world • Professors at Waikato University literally wrote the book on sequence modeling Bioinformatics Tony C Smith

31. The University of Waikato If you’re seriously interested in machine learning, in getting involved in bioinformatics research, or indeed any other area along the leading edge of computer science, then university is the only place to be, and Waikato wants You! Bioinformatics Tony C Smith