A systems perspective of signalling networks in host–pathogen interactions

Abstract

Signalling in biological systems occurs through complex networks of molecular interactions and leads to regulation of various physiological activities within and between cells. As a whole, they span multiple spatial and temporal scales and equip the cells to respond to a variety of signals. The complexity arises from a large number of molecular players, their pleiotropic roles and extensive interconnections among them. Signalling networks have been studied extensively using systems biology approaches. Modelling these networks at various levels of granularity can provide considerable insight into the interactions between host and the pathogen in infectious diseases. In this review, we describe some of the widely used modelling methods for studying signalling pathways and their networks, particularly in the context of host–pathogen interactions. A number of example cases are described, which provide a glimpse of the different types of insights provided by such models.