SUMMARY: MyBioNet is a web-based application for biological network analysis, which provides user-friendly web interfaces to visualize, edit and merge biological networks. In addition, MyBioNet integrated KEGG metabolic network data from 1366 organisms and allows users to search and navigate interesting networks. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: All KEGG metabolic network data are organized and stored in the MySQL database. MyBioNet is implemented in Flex/Actionscript and PHP languages and deployed on an Apache web server. MyBioNet is accessible through all the Flash-embedded browsers at http://bis.zju.edu.cn/mybionet/. CONTACT: [email protected].

MOTIVATION: Modern data acquisition methods in biology allow the procurement of different types of data in increasing quantity, facilitating a comprehensive view of biological systems. As data are usually gathered and interpreted by separate domain scientists, it is hard to grasp multidomain properties and structures. Consequently, there is a need for the integration of biological data from different sources and of different types in one application, providing various visualization approaches. RESULTS: In this article, methods for the integration and visualization of multimodal biological data are presented. This is achieved based on two graphs representing the meta-relations between biological data and the measurement combinations, respectively. Both graphs are linked and serve as different views of the integrated data with navigation and exploration possibilities. Data can be combined and visualized multifariously, resulting in views of the integrated biological data. AVAILABILITY: http://vanted.ipk-gatersleben.de/hive/. CONTACT: [email protected].

MOTIVATION: The recently proposed Systems Biology Graphical Notation (SBGN) provides a standard for the visual representation of biochemical and cellular processes. It aims to support more efficient and accurate communication of biological knowledge between different research communities in the life sciences. However, to increase the use of SBGN, tools for editing, validating and translating SBGN maps are desirable. RESULTS: We present SBGN-ED, a tool which allows the creation of all three types of SBGN maps from scratch or the editing of existing maps, the validation of these maps for syntactical and semantical correctness, the translation of networks from the KEGG and MetaCrop databases into SBGN and the export of SBGN maps into several file and image formats. AVAILABILITY: SBGN-ED is freely available from http://vanted.ipk-gatersleben.de/addons/sbgn-ed. The web site contains also tutorials and example files.

Abstract Summary: FBA-SimVis is a VANTED plug-in for the constraint-based analysis of metabolic models with special focus on the visual exploration of metabolic flux data resulting from model analysis. The program provides a user-friendly environment for model reconstruction, constraint-based model analysis, and interactive visualization of the simulation results. With the ability to quantitatively analyse metabolic fluxes in an interactive and visual manner, FBA-SimVis supports a comprehensive understanding of constraint-based metabolic flux models in both overview and detail. Availability: Software with manual and tutorials are freely available at http://fbasimvis.ipk-gatersleben.de/ Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: Examples and supplementary data are available at http://fbasimvis.ipk-gatersleben.de/

MOTIVATION: The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathway database is a very valuable information resource for researchers in the fields of life sciences. It contains metabolic and regulatory processes in the form of wiring diagrams, which can be used for browsing and information retrieval as well as a base for modeling and simulation. Thus it helps in understanding biological processes and higher-order functions of biological systems. Currently the KEGG website uses semi-static visualizations for the presentation and navigation of its pathway information. While this visualization style offers a good pathway presentation and navigation, it does not provide some of the possibilities related to dynamic visualizations, most importantly, the creation and visualization of user-specific pathways. RESULTS: This paper presents methods for the dynamic visualization, interactive navigation and editing of KEGG pathway diagrams. These diagrams, given as KEGG Markup Language (KGML) files, can be visually explored using novel approaches combining semi-static and dynamic visualization, but also edited or even newly created and then exported into KGML files. AVAILABILITY: KGML-ED, a program implementing the presented methods, is available free of charge to the scientific community at http://kgml-ed.ipk-gatersleben.de.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances with high-throughput methods in life-science research have increased the need for automatized data analysis and visual exploration techniques. Sophisticated bioinformatics tools are essential to deduct biologically meaningful interpretations from the large amount of experimental data, and help to understand biological processes. RESULTS: We present VANTED, a tool for the visualization and analysis of networks with related experimental data. Data from large-scale biochemical experiments is uploaded into the software via a Microsoft Excel-based form. Then it can be mapped on a network that is either drawn with the tool itself, downloaded from the KEGG Pathway database, or imported using standard network exchange formats. Transcript, enzyme, and metabolite data can be presented in the context of their underlying networks, e. g. metabolic pathways or classification hierarchies. Visualization and navigation methods support the visual exploration of the data-enriched networks. Statistical methods allow analysis and comparison of multiple data sets such as different developmental stages or genetically different lines. Correlation networks can be automatically generated from the data and substances can be clustered according to similar behavior over time. As examples, metabolite profiling and enzyme activity data sets have been visualized in different metabolic maps, correlation networks have been generated and similar time patterns detected. Some relationships between different metabolites were discovered which are in close accordance with the literature. CONCLUSION: VANTED greatly helps researchers in the analysis and interpretation of biochemical data, and thus is a useful tool for modern biological research. VANTED as a Java Web Start Application including a user guide and example data sets is available free of charge at http://vanted.ipk-gatersleben.de.

BACKGROUND: Many attempts are being made to understand biological subjects at a systems level. A major resource for these approaches are biological databases, storing manifold information about DNA, RNA and protein sequences including their functional and structural motifs, molecular markers, mRNA expression levels, metabolite concentrations, protein-protein interactions, phenotypic traits or taxonomic relationships. The use of these databases is often hampered by the fact that they are designed for special application areas and thus lack universality. Databases on metabolic pathways, which provide an increasingly important foundation for many analyses of biochemical processes at a systems level, are no exception from the rule. Data stored in central databases such as KEGG, BRENDA or SABIO-RK is often limited to read-only access. If experimentalists want to store their own data, possibly still under investigation, there are two possibilities. They can either develop their own information system for managing that own data, which is very time-consuming and costly, or they can try to store their data in existing systems, which is often restricted. Hence, an out-of-the-box information system for managing metabolic pathway data is needed. RESULTS: We have designed META-ALL, an information system that allows the management of metabolic pathways, including reaction kinetics, detailed locations, environmental factors and taxonomic information. Data can be stored together with quality tags and in different parallel versions. META-ALL uses Oracle DBMS and Oracle Application Express. We provide the META-ALL information system for download and use. In this paper, we describe the database structure and give information about the tools for submitting and accessing the data. As a first application of META-ALL, we show how the information contained in a detailed kinetic model can be stored and accessed. CONCLUSION: META-ALL is a system for managing information about metabolic pathways. It facilitates the handling of pathway-related data and is designed to help biochemists and molecular biologists in their daily research. It is available on the Web at http://bic-gh.de/meta-all and can be downloaded free of charge and installed locally.