What is a metabolic reconstruction jamboree?
A metabolic reconstruction jamboree is a community-driven effort to create a high-quality genome-scale biochemical network reconstruction for a target organism. This jamboree approach is analog to genome annotation jamborees that lead to community driven genome annotation process.
Purpose?
Given the rapidly growing interest in genome-scale reconstruction and modeling, parallel reconstruction efforts by multiple research groups have resulted in alternative metabolic networks reconstructions for a number of organisms.
A metabolic reconstruction is, in principle, unique to an organism and should summarize all the relevant currently available knowledge about the target organism. Therefore, reconciliation of the existing parallel reconstructions is desired and necessary. The development of consensus network reconstructions necessitates a collective community effort to formalize such networks.
Goals?
1. Reconcile and refine currently available knowledge and, if available, multiple existing metabolic network reconstructions; 2. Continuously update, reevaluate and refine the network content; and 3. Expand the consensus reconstruction to include more cellular functions (e.g., transcription and translation, transcriptional regulation, signaling, etc).
Publications?
The first metabolic reconstruction jamboree focused on creating a consensus reconstruction for the metabolic network of baker's yeast. The outcome of the reconstruction jamboree was published in Nature Biotechnology in October 2008. Link.
We have organized two metabolic reconstruction jamborees and are currently planning further jamborees. If you are interested in using the CSB to host a metabolic reconstruction jamboree for your favorite organism, please contact Dr. Ines Thiele (ines.thiele(at)gmail.com).
Human Metabolic Reconstruction Jamboree
The Human Metabolic Reconstruction Jamboree was held in Reykjavik June 14-16 2009. The purpose is to build a community consensus reconstruction of the human metabolic network within a defined scope and to plan for future jamborees. Next one will be in Washington DC, USA.
Salmonella Metabolic Reconstruction Jamboree
The Salmonella Metabolic Reconstruction Jamboree was held in Reykjavik September 05-06 2008. The purpose is to build a community consensus reconstruction of the Salmonella typhimurium LT 2 metabolic network within a defined scope and to plan for future jamborees to expand the reconstruction content.