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The quest for the metabolome
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Question to Radio Yerevan: Is it possible to detect the (whole) Metabolome? Answer: In principle yes, but it takes time.
So is it then possible to detect the (whole) metabolome? Yes, because the number of molecular formulas up to 2000 Da is finite. Thus also the number of all reasonable molecules in that range is finite. But what is the number of isomers in that range? The number of structural isomers (with carbon count up to 100) is larger than 10^40. As the number of information the ultimate laptop (1kg weight) can store is only 10^31 bits, it will be problematic to save all the molecules in the near future (250 years).
Does it makes sense to embrace the quest for the metabolome?
Absolutely yes! Because its fun.
What is the Metabolome? The metabolome is the total metabolite pool and covers all small molecules involved in biochemical processes in any life form up to a molecular mass of ~2000 Dalton
So is it then possible to detect the (whole) metabolome? Yes, because the number of molecular formulas up to 2000 Da is finite. Thus also the number of all reasonable molecules in that range is finite. But what is the number of isomers in that range? The number of structural isomers (with carbon count up to 100) is larger than 10^40. As the number of information the ultimate laptop (1kg weight) can store is only 10^31 bits, it will be problematic to save all the molecules in the near future (250 years).
Does it makes sense to embrace the quest for the metabolome?
Absolutely yes! Because its fun.
Created by
kind
Last modified 2007-04-13 02:40 PM
Last modified 2007-04-13 02:40 PM
