METABOLOMICS: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES PR. NOUREDINE BENKEBLIA UWI JAMAICA
Metabolomics DISCIPLINE or METHODS to understand the dynamics of small molecules in living systems METABOLOMIC PROFILING aims to complete? set of all metabolites (primary, intermediate and secondary) to be found within a biological sample, such as an organism, cell or organelle METABOLOME is dynamic, changing from second to second. Thus, setting becomes more complex and never complete.
Stimulated by the opportunities afforded by: # Post-genomic science # Analytical technologies # Data processing techniques These are being developed in order to generate more comprehensive molecular descriptions of biological systems (the metabolome ).
1 Gene (Genomic) 1 Transcript (Transcriptomic) 1 Protein (Proteomic) Specific Metabolites Metabolomic DNA Sequence Database Relational Databases Store, Compare, Cluster and Integrate Correlations of Genes and Gene Products Identification of Gene FunctionGene Annotation Identification of Pathways Biological Knowledge, Raw Foods Improvement Improvement, Genetic and metabolic Engineering
Metabolomics Technologies: a Revolution! Unlimited measurements / analysis Classical Biology Question HYPOTHESIS Focused Experiment Contemporary Biology Question Applied Genomics Experiment Bioinformatics Focused Experiment HYPOTHESIS Thousands of measurements of compounds simultaneously
Sample Chemic cal Class H 2 O CH 3 OH CHCl 3 Salts/Ionics Carbohydrates Amino Acids Organic Acids Phenolics Flavonoids Saponins Polar Organics Lipids Terpens Analytical Procedure CE-MS HPLC-PAD-MS GC-MS HPLC-PAD-MS GC-MS GC-MS
Data Analysis and Modeling using Computational Approaches Using Bioinformatics which includes: - Database Management Systems - Data mining (Extraction & Transformation) - Samples tracking - Information management - Data Acquisition - Data Analysis - Statistics - Signal and Image Processing - Pattern Recognition and Classification - Simulation and Modeling
Agricultural Metabolomics Aims to encourage application of metabolomicsinspired approaches, to improve understanding of the molecular basis for agricultural production. Aims also to: # Identify those small molecules that make the difference between the effects of different factors # Deepen our knowledge of cropping and the interacting and regulatory roles of biotic and abiotic stresses. The promotion of sustainable cropping leads to the improving quantity and quality of crops
What Are The Needs? Societal Needs Improve education on Sustainable Cropping Extend University Programs along Crop production Measures of Trust Consumers Needs Crops Quality Crops Diversity Health benefits Life stage Science Needs Agricutural systems biololgy bioinformatics Fuse Crops, Metabolome, and Human Needs
Metabolomics and Food Crops
The numbers of different molecules in the FOOD CROPS that are not nutrients outweigh the numbers that are nutrients. For example, plants accumulate secondary metabolites for defense, reproduction, but none of these are essential nutrients.
Crops contributions to Nutrition Macronutrient energy Sources Essential micronutrients Non-essential, beneficial dietary components Metabolically neutral dietary components Genome Transcriptome Proteome Metabolome Biological Function
CROPS Nutrients NonNutrients FOODS SUPPLEMETS Man-MADE PHYTOCHEMICALS Contaminants
Potential Challenges of Application of Metabolomics in Crops Production 1- Consideration of the chemical composition during pre- and post- harvest stages 2- Identification of effects of crops linked to nutritional benefits. 3- Characterisation of the molecular basis for sensory (e.g., taste, aroma) perception from complex foods.
4- Tracking of complex molecular changes that take place during post-harvest and processing where these are important in final quality. 5- Definition of genetic and/or environmental factors affecting crop and livestock metabolomes, linked with food quality parameters.
Thus, dietary non-nutrients, which may not be important in pharmacology or toxicology, may be critically important in human dietary studies that seek to use metabolomics. The major consensus decision for the field of nutritional metabolomics will be how to address endogenous human metabolites and exogenous components of food that coexist at least transiently in human biofluids.