What are the Key GO Categories and Their Relevance to Cancer?
1. Biological Process: This category encompasses broad biological goals, such as cell cycle, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. For example, dysregulation of the cell cycle is a hallmark of cancer, and GO terms related to cell cycle checkpoints can illuminate how cancer cells proliferate uncontrollably.
2. Molecular Function: This category describes activities at the molecular level, such as enzyme activity or binding. In cancer, understanding molecular functions like kinase activity can help in the development of targeted therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors used in certain types of leukemia.
3. Cellular Component: This category refers to the location of gene products within the cell, such as the nucleus, mitochondria, or extracellular matrix. Knowing the cellular components involved in cancer can aid in the development of drugs that target specific cellular compartments to disrupt cancer cell function.
