The user can search for interactions of specific physical entities or pathways by name or database identifiers. Rules according to which interactions with the same primary participants but different compartment/modification/stoichiometry information are to be merged can be specified here. Interactions of interest are merged with their similar counterparts according to these rules (Figure 2), and are displayed as network graphs in the visualization environment of the ConsensusPathDB web interface. In these graphs, two classes of nodes exist: physical entity nodes and interaction event nodes. Node colors encode the specific object type (protein, metabolite, etc.; physical interaction, biochemical reaction, etc.). Edges connect interactions with physical entities and indicate which physical entities participate in which interactions. Different edge styles encode the roles of the entities in the interactions, and edge colors refer to the source of this annotation. The network graphs are automatically generated and dynamical. For example, interactions can be removed from the graph, or new ones can be added by expanding a specific physical entity. Details about nodes, like alternative names and external identifiers, are shown in tool-tips. Physical entities
