The Escherichia coli MG1655 in silico metabolic genotype: Its definition, characteristics, and capabilities

The Escherichia coil MG1655 genome has been completely sequenced. The annot ated sequence, biochemical information, and other information were used to reconstruct the E. coil metabolic map. The stoichiometric coefficients for each metabolic enzyme in the E. coil metabolic map were assembled to constr uct a genome-specific stoichiometric matrix. The E. coil stoichiometric mat rix was used to define the system's characteristics and the capabilities of E. coil metabolism The effects of gene deletions in the central metabolic pathways on the ability of the in silico metabolic network to support growt h were assessed, and the in silico predictions were compared with experimen tal observations. It was shown that based on stoichiometric and capacity co nstraints the in silico analysis was able to qualitatively predict the grow th potential of mutant strains in 86% of the cases examined. Herein, it is demonstrated that the synthesis of in silico metabolic genotypes based an g enomic, biochemical, and strain-specific information is possible, and that systems analysis methods are available to analyze and interpret the metabol ic phenotype.