title: Inference and Prediction of Metabolic Network Fluxes.
abstract: In this Update, we cover the basic principles of the estimation and prediction of the rates of the many interconnected biochemical reactions that constitute plant metabolic networks. This includes metabolic flux analysis approaches that utilize the rates or patterns of redistribution of stable isotopes of carbon and other atoms to estimate fluxes, as well as constraints-based optimization approaches such as flux balance analysis. Some of the major insights that have been gained from analysis of fluxes in plants are discussed, including the functioning of metabolic pathways in a network context, the robustness of the metabolic phenotype, the importance of cell maintenance costs, and the mechanisms that enable energy and redox balancing at steady state. We also discuss methodologies to exploit 'omic data sets for the construction of tissue-specific metabolic network models and to constrain the range of permissible fluxes in such models. Finally, we consider the future directions and challenges faced by the field of metabolic network flux phenotyping.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam, Germany (Z.N.); andDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, United Kingdom (R.P.-S., L.J.S.).
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2671-6763
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nikoloski
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam, Germany (Z.N.); andDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, United Kingdom (R.P.-S., L.J.S.).
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perez-Storey
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Potsdam, Germany (Z.N.); andDepartment of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, United Kingdom (R.P.-S., L.J.S.) lee.sweetlove@plants.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lee J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Sweetlove
mesh_terms: D004734:Energy Metabolism; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D064688:Metabolic Flux Analysis / Q000379:methods; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins