MetaboSignal

MetaboSignal integrates metabolic and signaling pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) using a network-based approach implemented as an R package to analyze topological relationships between signaling and metabolic genes and metabolites for the study of genetic determinants of metabolic phenotypes.

Key Features:

• Integration of Pathways: MetaboSignal merges metabolic and signaling pathways from KEGG into combined network models.
• Network-Based Analysis: It analyzes network topology to elucidate relationships between signaling genes, metabolic genes, and metabolites.
• Customization and Analysis: The package permits customization of analyses to suit specific research needs.

Scientific Applications:

• Analysis of metabolic phenotypes: Facilitates investigation of genetic determinants of metabolic phenotypes via integrated gene–metabolite networks.
• Systems biology and genomics: Supports systems biology, genomics, and bioinformatics studies by providing network-level views of signaling and metabolic pathways.
• Identification of regulatory mechanisms and targets: Aids in uncovering regulatory mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets through network analysis of signaling–metabolic interactions.

Methodology:

MetaboSignal extracts and merges pathway data from KEGG and performs network-based analysis to investigate topological gene-metabolite interactions.