Transcriptomic Coordination in the Human Metabolic Network Reveals Links between n-3 Fat Intake, Adipose Tissue Gene Expression and Metabolic Health (original) (raw)
Figure 1
Assessing metabolic feasibility in network paths.
The algorithm of network analysis in this study includes a two-step process: 1) extraction of connected paths from the node of interest to all others in the network; and 2) evaluation of metabolic feasibility of each candidate path. Given a candidate (i.e., connected) path in the network through genes [A→B→C→D], the goal of the second step of the algorithm is to determine if a path of metabolite conversion can be traced from the first node to the last. In this simplified example, although a connectivity path can be traced from A to D, metabolite conversion cannot, emphasizing the importance of assessing metabolic feasibility in putative paths. A feasible path can only be traced from [Z→B→C→D] through conversion of metabolites [C3→C4→C5].