FluxPyt: a Python-based free and open-source software for ¹³C-metabolic flux analyses.

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Engineering
• Systems Biology
• Computational Biology

Background:

• 13C-Metabolic Flux Analysis (MFA) is crucial for understanding intracellular reaction rates.
• Current MFA software often uses proprietary platforms, limiting accessibility for researchers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop FluxPyt, a novel, open-source Python package for stationary 13C-MFA data analysis.
• To provide an accessible and adaptable tool for metabolic flux analysis.

Main Methods:

• FluxPyt utilizes the elementary metabolite unit framework for flux calculation.
• Standard deviations are estimated using Monte Carlo analysis.
• Automated flux map generation for visualization.

Main Results:

• FluxPyt demonstrated accurate flux distribution calculations comparable to existing software.
• The software was successfully tested on both small (TCA cycle) and large (Corynebacterium glutamicum) models.
• FluxPyt is compatible with Windows and Linux operating systems.

Conclusions:

• FluxPyt offers a free, open-source, and cross-platform solution for 13C-MFA.
• This enhances accessibility, enabling wider adoption and further development within the research community.