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How does metabolomics complement genomics and proteomics?
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Systems biology
Advances in the understanding of biological systems and in the computational interpretation of those systems have enabled biologists to program mammalian cells. The cells shown were programmed to calculate basic logical operations, thanks to a highly complex artificial gene network.
In the context of systems biology, metabolomics complements genomics and proteomics by providing a functional readout of an organism's physiological state that cannot be fully captured by studying DNA or proteins alone.1
While genomics identifies the potential for biological activity through an organism's genes and proteomics characterizes the functional machinery of proteins, metabolomics measures the actual chemical products of metabolism. This approach offers several key advantages:12
- Dynamic Phenotyping: Metabolites reflect the moment-to-moment biochemistry resulting from flexible interactions between genes and environmental factors, such as diet.3
- Functional Insight: Metabolomics is closely aligned with functional genomics, as it emphasizes the impact of metabolites on gene activity and cellular function.3
- Integrated Analysis: By combining data from genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites, researchers can better model the complex, integrated systems of biological organisms.34
Because the chemical diversity of the metabolome is significantly greater than that of the genome or proteome, metabolomics provides a unique, high-resolution perspective on the molecular phenotypes associated with health and disease.15