Phenomics
Encyclopedia
Phenomics is an area of biology concerned with the measurement of phenome
s — the physical and biochemical traits of organisms — as they change in response to genetic mutation and environmental influences. It is used in functional genomics
, pharmaceutical research and metabolic engineering
.
An important field of research today is trying to improve, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the capacity to measure phenomes. This include developing high-throughput measurement systems. For example, the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, an initiative of the Australian government, has developed a number of new instruments for comprehensive and fast measurements of phenotypes in both the lab and the field.
RNA interference
may be used to generate large numbers of random mutations in organisms such as nematode worms. The resulting phenotype
s of the creatures are then analysed. The large volumes of data generated by such work may be stored in specialised databases.
Phenome
A phenome is the set of all phenotypes expressed by a cell, tissue, organ, organism, or species.Just as the genome and proteome signify all of an organism's genes and proteins, the phenome represents the sum total of its phenotypic traits. Examples of human phenotypic traits are skin color, eye...
s — the physical and biochemical traits of organisms — as they change in response to genetic mutation and environmental influences. It is used in functional genomics
Functional genomics
Functional genomics is a field of molecular biology that attempts to make use of the vast wealth of data produced by genomic projects to describe gene functions and interactions...
, pharmaceutical research and metabolic engineering
Metabolic engineering
Metabolic engineering is the practice of optimizing genetic and regulatory processes within cells to increase the cells' production of a certain substance. These processes are chemical networks that use a series of biochemical reactions and enzymes that allow cells to convert raw materials into...
.
An important field of research today is trying to improve, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the capacity to measure phenomes. This include developing high-throughput measurement systems. For example, the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility, an initiative of the Australian government, has developed a number of new instruments for comprehensive and fast measurements of phenotypes in both the lab and the field.
RNA interference
RNA interference
RNA interference is a process within living cells that moderates the activity of their genes. Historically, it was known by other names, including co-suppression, post transcriptional gene silencing , and quelling. Only after these apparently unrelated processes were fully understood did it become...
may be used to generate large numbers of random mutations in organisms such as nematode worms. The resulting phenotype
Phenotype
A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...
s of the creatures are then analysed. The large volumes of data generated by such work may be stored in specialised databases.
See also
- PhenomicDBPhenomicDBPhenomicDB is a free phenotype oriented database. It contains data for some of the main model organisms such as Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, and others. PhenomicDB merges and structures phenotypic data from various public sources: WormBase, FlyBase, NCBI Gene, MGI, and ZFIN...
, a database combining phenotypic and genetic data from several species.