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.