Issue 3, 2013

Network motifs provide signatures that characterize metabolism

Abstract

Motifs are repeating patterns that determine the local properties of networks. In this work, we characterized all 3-node motifs using enzyme commission numbers of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to show that motif abundance is related to biochemical function. Further, we present a comparative analysis of motif distributions in the metabolic networks of 21 species across six kingdoms of life. We found the distribution of motif abundances to be similar between species, but unique across cellular organelles. Finally, we show that motifs are able to capture inter-species differences in metabolic networks and that molecular differences between some biological species are reflected by the distribution of motif abundances in metabolic networks.

Graphical abstract: Network motifs provide signatures that characterize metabolism

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Aug 2012
Accepted
18 Dec 2012
First published
20 Dec 2012

Mol. BioSyst., 2013,9, 352-360

Network motifs provide signatures that characterize metabolism

E. R. Shellman, C. F. Burant and S. Schnell, Mol. BioSyst., 2013, 9, 352 DOI: 10.1039/C2MB25346A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Spotlight

Advertisements