SynergyAge, a curated database for synergistic and antagonistic interactions of longevity-associated genes
Gabriela Bunu, Dmitri Toren, Catalin-Florentin Ion, Diogo Barardo, Larisa Sârghie, Laurentiu Gabriel Grigore, João Pedro de Magalhães, Vadim E. Fraifeld, Robi Tăcutu
Abstract
Interventional studies on genetic modulators of longevity have significantly changed gerontology. While available lifespan data are continually accumulating, further understanding of the aging process is still limited by the poor understanding of epistasis and of the non-linear interactions between multiple longevity-associated genes. Unfortunately, based on observations so far, there is no simple method to predict the cumulative impact of genes on lifespan. As a step towards applying predictive methods, but also to provide information for a guided design of epistasis lifespan experiments, we developed SynergyAge - a database containing genetic and lifespan data for animal models obtained through multiple longevity-modulating interventions. The studies included in SynergyAge focus on the lifespan of animal strains which are modified by at least two genetic interventions, with single gene mutants included as reference. SynergyAge, which is publicly available at www.synergyage.info , provides an easy to use web-platform for browsing, searching and filtering through the data, as well as a network-based interactive module for visualization and analysis.