Computer systems and methods for identifying conserved cellular constituent clusters across datasets

Systems and methods for determining a functional relationship between pairs of cellular constituents are provided. A plurality of datasets is received. Each dataset represents an experimental condition and comprises measurement data for a plurality of cellular constituents from each of a plurality of organisms. Each respective dataset is represented by correlation coefficients. Each correlation coefficient for a respective dataset in the plurality of datasets represents a correlation between abundance measurement data for a pair of cellular constituents across the dataset. The plurality of correlation coefficients that represents a first dataset in the plurality of datasets is clustered, thereby determining their order. This order is applied to each remaining dataset thereby forming a plurality of correlation matrices. When a conserved area in the plurality of matrices is identified, the functional relationship between the first cellular constituent and the second constituent is determined to be present.