Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34839828›Full record

ArticleBMC bioinformatics2021

Exploring the associations between transcript levels and fluxes in constraint-based models of metabolism.

Neeraj Sinha, Evert M van Schothorst, Guido J E J Hooiveld, Jaap Keijer, Vitor A P Martins Dos Santos, Maria Suarez-Diez

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC bioinformatics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 40% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Metabolic Regulation in the Maintenance ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Neeraj SinhaNutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5105-6475
Evert M van SchothorstHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3036-5903
Guido J E J HooiveldNutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1954-3542
Jaap KeijerHuman and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9720-7491
Vitor A P Martins Dos SantosLaboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2352-9017
Maria Suarez-DiezLaboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands. maria.suarezdiez@wur.nl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5845-146X
Wageningen University & Research · NLLifeGlimmer (Germany) · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeveral computational methods have been developed that integrate transcriptomics data with genome-scale metabolic reconstructions to increase accuracy of inferences of intracellular metabolic flux distributions. Even though existing methods use transcript abundances as a proxy for enzyme activity, each method uses a different hypothesis and assumptions. Most methods implicitly assume a proportionality between transcript levels and flux through the corresponding function, although these proportionality constant(s) are often not explicitly mentioned nor discussed in any of the published methods. E-Flux is one such method and, in this algorithm, flux bounds are related to expression data, so that reactions associated with highly expressed genes are allowed to carry higher flux values.

resultsHere, we extended E-Flux and systematically evaluated the impact of an assumed proportionality constant on model predictions. We used data from published experiments with Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and we compared the predictions of the algorithm to measured extracellular and intracellular fluxes.

conclusionWe showed that detailed modelling using a proportionality constant can greatly impact the outcome of the analysis. This increases accuracy and allows for extraction of better physiological information.

Indexed as

Biochemical PhenomenaModels, BiologicalEscherichia coliMetabolic Networks and PathwaysSaccharomyces cerevisiaeTranscriptomeConstraint-based modelsE-FluxGene expression integrationProportionality constantTranscriptomics

Identifiers

PMID34839828
PMCPMC8628452
OpenAlexW3216660659

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.