Computer-implemented method for identifying differentially expressed genes and computer readable storage medium for storing the method

A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to execute a method for identifying DEGs, wherein the method for identifying DEGs comprises:

• (a) obtaining gene expression data from a plurality of test samples and a plurality of control samples;
• (b) estimating variances of noise in the test samples based on their gene expression data, and estimating variances of noise in the control samples based on their gene expression data;
• (c) for each measurement of gene expression level, based on the measured value and the sample's variance of noise, deriving a probability density function (PDF) for predicting the true value;
• (d) normalizing the PDFs for predicting gene expression levels;
• (e) for the gene under test, based on the normalized PDFs for predicting the expression levels in the individual test samples, deriving a test-group PDF for predicting mean expression level of the test samples, and, based on the normalized PDFs for predicting the expression levels in the individual control samples, deriving a control-group PDF for predicting mean expression level of the control samples;
• (f) for the gene under test, based on the test-group PDF for predicting mean expression level of the test samples and the control-group PDF for predicting mean expression level of the control samples, deriving a final PDF for predicting fold-change of the gene;
• and
• (g) for the gene under test, conducting a statistical test based on the final PDF for predicting fold-change of the gene to determine whether the gene is differentially expressed.