Protein complex prediction via cost-based clustering

We have developed the Restricted Neighborhood Search Clustering Algorithm (RNSC) to efficiently partition networks into clusters using a cost function. We applied this cost-based clustering algorithm to PPI networks of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans to identify and predict protein complexes. We have determined functional and graph-theoretic properties of true protein complexes from the MIPS database. Based on these properties, we defined filters to distinguish between identified network clusters and true protein complexes.

Our application of the cost-based clustering algorithm provides an accurate and scalable method of detecting and predicting protein complexes within a PPI network.