生物信息学是一门正在快速发展的使用数学和计算机技术来构造和分析生物学模型的学科.Petri网是近来被用于生物信息学的有效工具,但是应用的深度和广度还有待深入研究.文中综述了Petri网在生物信息学领域应用的最新研究进展,主要包括三个方面:应用位置/变迁网定性分析生物学对象的结构性质;应用随机Petri网将随机性加入到生物学建模和分析中;应用混合Petri网描述和分析同时具有离散特性和连续特性的生物系统.最后对Petri网在生物信息学领域的应用情况进行总结并展望了未来的研究方向.
Bioinformatics is a rapidly developing discipline that takes advantage of mathematics and computer technology to construct and analyze biological models. Petri nets are efficient tools used in Bioinformatics recently, while their application needs to be further expanded. The survey which this paper provides of the application of Petri nets in Bioinformatics study includes three parts: Using place/transition system to qualitatively analyze structural properties of biological objects; using stochastic Petri nets to add stochastic properties to biological modeling and analysis; using hybrid Petri nets to represent and analyze biological systems with both discrete and continu- ous properties. Finally, the application of Petri nets in Bioinformatics is summarized and the research directions and open problems in this area are also discussed.