Metabolic networks analysis using convex optimization

— Metabolic networks map the biochemical reactions in a living cell to the flow of various chemical substances in the cell, which are called metabolites. A standard model of a metabolic network is given as a linear map from the reaction rates to the change in metabolites concentrations. We study two problems related to the analysis of metabolic networks, the minimal network problem and the minimal knockout problem. The minimal network problem amounts to finding the smallest set of reactions that can sustain the production of a metabolite. The minimal knockout problem deals with the question of finding the smallest set of knockouts (reactions with zero rates) that renders the production of a metabolite infeasible. In this paper we present a convex relaxation technique that results in a very fast computation for the solution to both problems. We also demonstrate that the minimal knockout problem is related to the dual of the minimal network problem.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: CDC
• Authors: A. Agung Julius, Marcin Imielinski, George J. Pappas
• Keywords: CDC 2008, Control Systems, Metabolic Networks, Minimal Knockout Problem, Minimal Network Problem