In silico phenotype projection of endothelial ERK1/2 signaling

and cost-effective functional evaluation of novel (or poorly understood) genes. Typically, in vitro approaches are first used to alter gene expression using various RNAi and/or transfection approaches. This is followed by an array of cell physiology assays and signaling studies that can examine cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, cytoskeletal organization, responses to specific agonists or metabolic perturbations, among others. Frequently, the data generated are not sufficient to have a clear idea about molecular pathways involved and potential physiological impacts. Therefore, these studies are then followed by in vivo evaluations using organisms such as mice and zebrafish. The process of creating genetically engineered animals with altered gene expression followed by phenotype evaluation is both timeand resource-consuming and functional alterations may be hard to pinpoint. Thus, there is a strong need for an alternative strategy that would predict functional outcomes based on in silico gene expression profiling.