Local Gene Network Pattern (LGNP) Approach to Tackle Mechanisms of Complicated Phenotypes

In the post-genome era, high-throughput technologies such as DNA microarray are generating large amount of functional data. But in face of lots of data, biologists still lack efficient ways to investigate complicated relations of multi-genes. In this study, hypertension related gene database and lab-made microarray data from peripheral blood samples of hypertension people and normal people were combined to postulate a collection of genes possibly sensitive to dietary intake of low-sodium salt, and a novel local gene network pattern (LGNP) approach was employed to directly describe possible connections among those most susceptible genes. LGNP display would be useful for primary analysis of gene network data aiming at multi-gene relationship for any biological phenotype.