FFLtool: a web server for transcription factor and miRNA feed forward loop analysis in human

Bioinformatics. 2020 Apr 15;36(8):2605-2607. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btz929.

Abstract

Summary: Transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are two kinds of important regulators for transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations. Understanding cross-talks between the two regulators and their targets is critical to reveal complex molecular regulatory mechanisms. Here, we developed FFLtool, a web server for detecting potential feed forward loop (FFL) of TF-miRNA-target regulation in human. In FFLtool, we integrated comprehensive regulations of TF-target and miRNA-target, and developed two functional modules: (i) The 'FFL Analysis' module can detect potential FFLs and internal regulatory networks in a user-defined gene set. FFLtool also provides three levels of evidence to illustrate the reliability for each FFL and enrichment functions for co-target genes of the same TF and miRNA; (ii) The 'Browse FFLs' module displays FFLs comprised of differentially or specifically expressed TFs and miRNAs and their target genes in cancers. FFLtool is a valuable resource for investigating gene expression regulation and mechanism study in biological processes and diseases.

Availability and implementation: FFLtool is available on http://bioinfo.life.hust.edu.cn/FFLtool/.

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Transcription Factors