MetaCyc

Understanding MetaCyc: The Gold Standard for Metabolic Knowledge

MetaCyc stands as a crucial resource in biochemistry and molecular biology, offering researchers detailed information about metabolic processes across diverse organisms.

Core Components

1. Database Content Primary Elements:

• Metabolic pathways
• Chemical reactions
• Enzymes and proteins
• Metabolites/compounds
• Regulatory information
• Literature references

2. Pathway Information Detailed Coverage:

• Reaction mechanisms
• Enzyme properties
• Substrate specificity
• Regulatory factors
• Pathway variants
• Evolutionary aspects

Key Features

1. Data Organization Structure:

• Pathway hierarchy
• Reaction classes
• Compound classes
• Enzyme classification
• Organism grouping
• Literature links

2. Analysis Tools Built-in Capabilities:

• Pathway analysis
• Enzyme comparison
• Compound search
• Species comparison
• Data visualization
• Pathway prediction

Research Applications

1. Metabolic Engineering Uses:

• Pathway design
• Enzyme selection
• Strain optimization
• Yield prediction
• Process development
• Metabolic modeling

2. Biochemical Research Applications:

• Pathway discovery
• Mechanism study
• Drug metabolism
• Enzyme function
• Metabolite identification