A stability-based algorithm to validate hierarchical clusters of genes. (21st October 2009)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Avogadri, Roberto; Brioschi, Matteo; Ferrazzi, Fulvia; Re, Matteo; Beghini, Alessandro; Valentini, Giorgio
• Is Part Of: International journal of knowledge engineering and soft data paradigms. Volume 1:Number 4(2009)
• Page Start: 318
• Page End: 330
• Publication Date: 2009-10-21
• Subjects: hierarchical clustering -- stability based methods -- cluster validation -- DNA microarray -- gene clusters -- functional genomics -- ontology -- gene expression data -- human myeloid leukaemia -- bioinformatics; Soft computing -- Periodicals; Statistics -- Periodicals; Information science -- Periodicals; 003.05
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-3210

Abstract

Stability-based methods have been successfully applied in functional genomics to the analysis of the reliability of clusterings characterised by a relatively low number of examples and clusters. The application of these methods to the validation of gene clusters discovered in biomolecular data may lead to computational problems due to the large amount of possible clusters involved. To address this problem, we present a stability-based algorithm to discover significant clusters in hierarchical clusterings with a large number of examples and clusters. The reliability of clusters of genes discovered in gene expression data of patients affected by human myeloid leukaemia is analysed through the proposed algorithm, and their relationships with specific biological processes are tested by means of Gene Ontology-based functional enrichment methods.