ECOMICS: a web-based toolkit for investigating the biomolecular web in ecosystems using a trans-omics approach

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Ecosystems are complex metabolic systems involving molecular interactions.
• Post-genomic technologies enable analysis of these biomolecular networks.
• Understanding ecosystem functions and biotechnological applications requires studying genes, enzymes, and biomass.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present ECOMICS, a web-based tool suite for ecosystem trans-omics investigation.
• To enable comprehensive analysis of metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and meta-metabolomic data.
• To facilitate understanding of biomass metabolism and microbial roles in ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• ECOMICS integrates four web tools: E-class for taxonomic and functional classification, FT2B for NMR spectral processing, Bm-Char for biomass compound assignment, and HetMap for data matrix generation and correlation analysis.
• The suite analyzes macromolecular complexes, microbial composition, and degradation processes.
• It enables the study of relationships between molecular and microbial elements.

Main Results:

• ECOMICS provides a unique platform for monitoring biomass metabolism within specific environments.
• It allows for the integration of diverse omics data, from macromolecular details to microbial community structure.
• The tool suite facilitates the understanding of complex ecosystem interactions.

Conclusions:

• ECOMICS offers a comprehensive approach to ecosystem trans-omics research.
• It enhances the understanding of environmental functions and potential biotechnological applications.
• The web suite is publicly available for researchers worldwide.