The metabolome 18 years on: a concept comes of age - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

The metabolome 18 years on: a concept comes of age

Douglas B Kell et al. Metabolomics. 2016.

Abstract

Background: The term 'metabolome' was introduced to the scientific literature in September 1998.

Aim and key scientific concepts of the review: To mark its 18-year-old 'coming of age', two of the co-authors of that paper review the genesis of metabolomics, whence it has come and where it may be going.

Keywords: Functional genomics; Metabolome; Precision medicine; Systems biology.

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Conflict of interest statement

DBK and SGO have no conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

The ‘forward’ and ‘reverse’ strategies that have been used to link genes and phenotypes. Classically, one would start with a function and seek gene(s) responsible. As it became clearer that most genes were phenotypically silent, it emerged from the systematic genome sequencing programs that only a small fraction of genes had been discovered in this way. The systematic genome sequencing programs also served to change this completely, as once one ‘had’ the genes it was necessary to discover their function. A similar story can be written for drug discovery (Kell 2013)

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