Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components

For decades, experimental work has laid the foundation for our understanding of the linear and branched pathways that are integrated to form the metabolic networks on which life is built. Genetic and biochemical approaches applied in model organisms generate empirical data that correlate genes, gene...

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Main Authors: Jannell V. Bazurto, Diana M. Downs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Shared Science Publishers OG 2016-04-01
Series:Microbial Cell
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Online Access:http://microbialcell.com/researcharticles/metabolic-network-structure-and-function-in-bacteria-goes-beyond-conserved-enzyme-components/
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author Jannell V. Bazurto
Diana M. Downs
author_facet Jannell V. Bazurto
Diana M. Downs
author_sort Jannell V. Bazurto
collection DOAJ
description For decades, experimental work has laid the foundation for our understanding of the linear and branched pathways that are integrated to form the metabolic networks on which life is built. Genetic and biochemical approaches applied in model organisms generate empirical data that correlate genes, gene products and their biological activities. In the post-genomic era, these results have served as the basis for the genome annotation that is routinely used to infer the metabolic capabilities of an organism and mathematically model the presumed metabolic network structure. At large, genome annotation and metabolic network reconstructions have demystified genomic content of non-culturable microorganisms and allowed researchers to explore the breadth of metabolisms in silico. Mis-annotation aside, it is unclear whether in silico reconstructions of metabolic structure from component parts accurately captures the higher levels of network organization and flux distribution. For this approach to provide accurate predictions, one must assume that the conservation of metabolic components leads to conservation of metabolic network architecture and function. This assumption has not been rigorously tested. Here we describe the implications of a recent study (MBio 5;7(1): e01840-15), which demonstrated that conservation of metabolic components was not sufficient to predict network structure and function.
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spelling doaj-art-76a6d97cd5db4a8db049d1e8769598f62025-08-20T02:57:37ZengShared Science Publishers OGMicrobial Cell2311-26382016-04-013626026210.15698/mic2016.06.509Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme componentsJannell V. Bazurto0Diana M. Downs1Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.For decades, experimental work has laid the foundation for our understanding of the linear and branched pathways that are integrated to form the metabolic networks on which life is built. Genetic and biochemical approaches applied in model organisms generate empirical data that correlate genes, gene products and their biological activities. In the post-genomic era, these results have served as the basis for the genome annotation that is routinely used to infer the metabolic capabilities of an organism and mathematically model the presumed metabolic network structure. At large, genome annotation and metabolic network reconstructions have demystified genomic content of non-culturable microorganisms and allowed researchers to explore the breadth of metabolisms in silico. Mis-annotation aside, it is unclear whether in silico reconstructions of metabolic structure from component parts accurately captures the higher levels of network organization and flux distribution. For this approach to provide accurate predictions, one must assume that the conservation of metabolic components leads to conservation of metabolic network architecture and function. This assumption has not been rigorously tested. Here we describe the implications of a recent study (MBio 5;7(1): e01840-15), which demonstrated that conservation of metabolic components was not sufficient to predict network structure and function.http://microbialcell.com/researcharticles/metabolic-network-structure-and-function-in-bacteria-goes-beyond-conserved-enzyme-components/metabolic networkmetabolic integrationplasticitythiamine synthesisphosphoribosylamine (PRA)phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (PurF)
spellingShingle Jannell V. Bazurto
Diana M. Downs
Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
Microbial Cell
metabolic network
metabolic integration
plasticity
thiamine synthesis
phosphoribosylamine (PRA)
phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (PurF)
title Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
title_full Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
title_fullStr Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
title_full_unstemmed Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
title_short Metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
title_sort metabolic network structure and function in bacteria goes beyond conserved enzyme components
topic metabolic network
metabolic integration
plasticity
thiamine synthesis
phosphoribosylamine (PRA)
phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (PurF)
url http://microbialcell.com/researcharticles/metabolic-network-structure-and-function-in-bacteria-goes-beyond-conserved-enzyme-components/
work_keys_str_mv AT jannellvbazurto metabolicnetworkstructureandfunctioninbacteriagoesbeyondconservedenzymecomponents
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