Title: Using protein abundance to indicate underlying mRNA expression levels in E.coli: an SEM modelling approach

Authors: Jacqueline J. Harris; Christine W. Duarte; Michael C. Mossing

Addresses: Department of Biostatistics, Section on Statistical Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. ' Department of Biostatistics, Section on Statistical Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA. ' Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Mississippi Mississippi 38677, USA

Abstract: Do steady-state protein levels accurately predict mRNA levels? Based on the central dogma (DNA RNA protein) current protein levels are representative of mRNA present at an earlier time. However, most cellular mRNA protein comparative studies try to relate steady-state protein levels to current mRNA levels in cells. Protein steady-states are more correctly related to protein production, protein degradation and other complex cellular conditions. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) we relate linear protein measurements to latent mRNA in E.coli. This method can be used to find the optimal protein measurements that explain underlying mRNA expression, and better understand the proteomic and transcriptomic relationship in E.coli gene expression.

Keywords: systems biology; SEM; structural equation modelling; gene expression; proteomics transcriptomic relationship; protein abundance; mRNA expression levels; E.coli; protein measurements.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCBDD.2011.044445

International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design, 2011 Vol.4 No.4, pp.387 - 395

Published online: 24 Jan 2015 *

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