MAPPS: A Web-Based Tool for Metabolic Pathway Prediction and Network Analysis in the Postgenomic Era

Area of Science:

• Metabolic network analysis
• Computational biology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Comparative and evolutionary analyses of metabolic networks have broad applications.
• These include metabolic evolution research, drug development, synthetic biology, and biodegradation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present MAPPS (Metabolic network Analysis and Pathway Prediction Server), a web-based tool.
• To facilitate the study of metabolic network functions and evolution using diverse datasets.

Main Methods:

• MAPPS offers an interactive interface with graphical visualization.
• It supports pathway prediction, network comparison, and ancestral network building.
• The tool allows uploading custom data and includes an 'omics pipeline for data filtering.

Main Results:

• MAPPS provides functionalities for identifying potential drug targets and performing in silico metabolic engineering.
• It can analyze host-microbe interactions and supports draft/custom genome analyses.
• The 'omics pipeline enhances pathway result filtering for postgenomic data.

Conclusions:

• MAPPS is a versatile tool for comprehensive metabolic network analysis.
• It supports both traditional and omics data, advancing research in metabolic evolution and applied biology.