MetaNetX.org is an online platform for accessing, analyzing and manipulating genome-scale metabolic networks (GSM) as well as biochemical pathways. To this end, it integrates a great variety of data sources and tools.
The metabolic modelsMetaNetX.org treats each model (i.e., metabolic network or pathway) as an object constituted by different entities:
Import/ExportSelect a model from the repositoryMetaNetX.org includes a repository of models from, for example, BiGG or the Model SEED, networks from BioCyc, and metabolic pathways from Reactome; all reconciled in a common namespace defined by MNXref.The "Pick from repository" menu allows you to select one or more models from this repository. It is possible to search for specific models using the Search field. Search criteria can comprise taxonomy, lineage (that can be displayed using the show/hide button), or identifiers. Upload your own modelThe "Upload user model" menu allows a user to upload models in various formats (such as SBML or Excel) by following the detailed instructions. In the same way, a list of reactions constituting a metabolic model can be specified using the text field of the "Upload reactions" menu. Depending on the user's choice, these uploaded models can be automatically translated into the MNXref common namespace, for comparison purposes or, on the contrary, they can be kept unchanged if the goal is only to perform analyses on them.DownloadA model and its corresponding analyses can be downloaded by clicking on the model's name in the "My selection" summary table (NB: this table only appears when you have selected or imported at least one model). Here various export formats such as SBML, Excel, or tab-separated are available.VisualizeTablesInformation concerning the models as well as results of analyses performed on them, are provided in the form of tables. All these tables follow the same scheme:
The Show/hide field allows one to select or deselect columns to be displayed in a table. With an increasing number of models or analyses, the number of columns increases. In this case, the column properties are abbreviated by the numeric model identifier or the analysis type followed by abbreviated analysis characteristics for the corresponding model. To ease the inspection of large tables, each column can also be sorted in increasing or decreasing order by clicking on the arrows of the respective column headers. NB: it is possible to subsequently combine sorting orders. All tables with a "Search" text field in the top left corner can be filtered. For example, the term "reversible" or the symbol "<==>" can be used to only display reversible reactions. The "My selection" tableOnce you have selected or imported at least one model to work on, a "My selection" summary table will be displayed at the top of each page. This table displays information about the models in the current workspace as well as information about the performed analyses or modifications: number of reactions, compartmentalized metabolites, decompartmentalized metabolites, compartments, and different types of completed analyses. Further details are typically accessible when following links. This either refreshes the bottom part of the site or redirects to a new page with the corresponding information. For example, when selecting BC (basic classification) it is possible to examine the basic model properties such as enzymatic, transport, or irreversible reactions in detail.The Analysis column in the top table links to the basic model properties (BC) as well as to the performed analyses. Here, we currently distinguish between:
Furthermore, from this "My selection" table, it is possible to compare selected models with respect to reactions, metabolites, compartments, or performed analyses by choosing the respective Overall link. However, when looking at more than one model, the content of some column can be model dependent. For this reason, each selected model is assigned a short numeric identifier (for example, #1 or #2) and the header of the columns of the comparison tables refers to these identifiers. (NB: The link between the numeric identifier of a model and its name is provided in the "My selection" table). In these comparison tables, a "+" symbol denotes that the individual reaction, metabolite, ... is present in the respective model whereas the "-" symbol indicates that it is absent. AnalyzeMetaNetX.org allows you to perform various analyses (structural analyses and simulations) that are accessible through the "Analyze" section of the menu. A description of each analysis is available within its respective page. For each analysis, it is possible to select one or more models from the workspace simultaneously. The results of each analysis are displayed using a specific page for further inspection as soon as the analysis has finished. In addition, they can subsequently be inspected using the Summary/Delete view by selecting the respective analysis ID, for example, BLO for blocked reactions analysis, or by selecting, for example, the reactions or metabolites view where results are then displayed per reaction or metabolite (depending on the analysis).NB: some analyses, like FBA, require both boundary reactions and a unique biomass reaction. If a model does not fulfill either of the requirements a warning message is displayed, or the user is requested to, for example, select a biomass reaction if more than one is associated with the given model. Create/ModifyThis section of the menu allows you to modify existing models or to create new models based on models in the workspace and on previously performed analyses. Hence, it is possible to create, for example, a consensus model or to reduce an existing model to its functional part only.Not all types of modifications are accessible through this section. If you want to modify a model in detail, it is usually easier to export, modify, and re-import a model. |
