Molecular network resource identifies unknown compounds for biomarker discovery
Medical researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical scientists often study small molecules called metabolites, which are produced in living cells through a variety of processes, including the breakdown of food, chemicals or drugs.
Medical researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical scientists often study small molecules called metabolites, which are produced in living cells through a variety of processes, including the breakdown of food, chemicals or drugs.
The short version
- This area of study is known as metabolomics, and it can be used to identify new signs of disease, measure the effectiveness of medical treatment or study how diet and nutrition affect the body.
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- Many of these molecules can be identified through mass spectrometry, a lab test that measures the weight and charge of tiny particles, but the vast majority remain unknown.
What happened
These unidentified particles are referred to as "dark matter," or the "dark metabolome." Although detectable, dark matter can't be matched to known molecular structures. These unknown particles leave behind a mass of data that is inaccessible for biological interpretation, creating a gap in knowledge of the genetic biome, cellular health, diseases and drug response.
Why it matters
"There are roughly 8.4 million observed mass spectra of known and unknown molecules combined in public repositories, and it is estimated that the dark matter comprises up to 90% of the entire observed molecular space," Boginski says.
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