Genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction is important for understanding cellular behaviors in a systems view.
Converting the reconstruction into a mathematical model enables researchers to analyze cell behaviors in response to changing environments by using constraint-based flux balance analysis (FBA) tools, such as COBRA [1].
With the growing availability of complete microbial genomes, the number of genome-scale metabolic networks is expected to increase rapidly.
However, the number of genome-scale metabolic models follows in single-digit percentage of the number of sequenced genomes due to the difficulties in network reconstruction [2].
[1] Becker SA, Feist AM, Mo ML, Hannum G, Palsson BO, Herrgard MJ: Quantitative prediction of cellular metabolism with constraint-based models: the COBRA Toolbox. Nat Protoc 2007, 2(3):727-738.
[2] Palsson B: Metabolic systems biology. FEBS Lett 2009, 583(24):3900-3904.