Cited by 98Genomics and Rare DiseasesMachine Learning in BioinformaticsGenetic Associations and Epidemiology

Predicting functional effect of missense variants using graph attention neural networks

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Zhang, Haicang, Xu, Michelle S., Fan, Xiao, Chung, Wendy K., Shen, Yufeng·2022·Nature Machine Intelligence

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Abstract

Accurate prediction of damaging missense variants is critically important for interpreting a genome sequence. Although many methods have been developed, their performance has been limited. Recent advances in machine learning and the availability of large-scale population genomic sequencing data provide new opportunities to considerably improve computational predictions. Here we describe the graphical missense variant pathogenicity predictor (gMVP), a new method based on graph attention neural networks. Its main component is a graph with nodes that capture predictive features of amino acids and edges weighted by co-evolution strength, enabling effective pooling of information from the local protein context and functionally correlated distal positions. Evaluation of deep mutational scan data shows that gMVP outperforms other published methods in identifying damaging variants in TP53, PTEN, BRCA1 and MSH2. Furthermore, it achieves the best separation of de novo missense variants in neuro developmental disorder cases from those in controls. Finally, the model supports transfer learning to optimize gain- and loss-of-function predictions in sodium and calcium channels. In summary, we demonstrate that gMVP can improve interpretation of missense variants in clinical testing and genetic studies.

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Authors
Zhang, H., Xu, M. S., Fan, X., Chung, W. K., & Shen, Y.
Affiliations
Columbia University (US)
Corresponding author
Shen, Yufeng
Venue
Nature Machine Intelligence
Published
2022-11-15
Volume
4
Issue
11
Pages
1017-1028
ISSN
2522-5839 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4309563206
Cited by
98
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 25 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1
FWCI
10.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Machine Intelligence (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM120609)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Human Genome Research Institute (K99HG011490, U01HG008680)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R03HL147197)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genomics and Rare Diseases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Machine Learning in Bioinformatics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
Keywords
coevolution, deep mutational scanning, TP53, PTEN, BRCA1, MSH2, de novo mutations, neurodevelopmental disorders, sodium channels, calcium channels, transfer learning, variant interpretation

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