Determination of the Metabolic Networks Fluxes Using Carbon Isotopomer Labeling and Metabolic Flux Analysis

To determine intracellular fluxes using carbon labeled experimental data, adequate techniques are needed. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) is a useful method to simulate metabolic networks. Because the measurable extracellular flux data is always insufficient, there are more unknowns than equations. Further information or constraints are required to make fully determined system of which the degrees of freedom (DOF) is zero. It is possible to obtain mass distribution data using the carbon isotope labeling experiment for fermentation experiments. Carbon isotope labeled data can be obtained from C isotope tracer technique and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) measurements. In this work, we have developed a metabolic networks simulation tool which can exactly determine intracellular fluxes using carbon isotopomer labeling data. The result can provide strict insight into complex metabolic networks