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Veterinary Metabolomics

Infographic titled “Timescale of change” showing four omics layers on the left, specific molecule classes in the center, and the “Exposome” on the right. From top to bottom: • Row 1: “Genomics,” “Genome,” “Genes”; a right-pointing arrow labeled > h (more than hours). • Row 2: “Transcriptomics,” “Transcriptome,” “RNA”; arrow labeled “min–h” (minutes to hours). • Row 3: “Proteomics,” “Proteome,” “Proteins”; arrow labeled “min” (minutes). • Row 4: “Metabolomics,” “Metabolome”; to the right are six colored boxes for molecule classes: “Carboxylic acids,” “Sugars,” “Lipids,” “Amino acids,” “Indoles,” “Nucleotides.” Beside this row: < sec (less than seconds). On the far right, a large, rounded panel labeled “Exposome” contains four horizontal ovals from top to bottom: “Lifestyle,” “Environment,” “Microbiome,” and “Diet.” The graphic conveys that changes occur slowest at the genomic level > h and fastest at the metabolite level (< sec), while external exposome factors (lifestyle, environment, microbiome, diet) influence these biological layers.

Fig 1: Metabolomics is the measurement of small molecules (metabolites) generated by a living organism. It forms one of the pillars of omics technologies. Its power lies in its ability to integrate genomic information with environmental and lifestyle information and as such, it is a direct measure of phenotype. Since many metabolites are quickly metabolized or degrade into other compounds, special collection, storage and analytical methods are required to ensure accurate results.

Metabolomics is the global measurement, including identification and quantification of small molecules in cells or biological tissues.

It is the most objective measurement of phenotype that is available to us since it incorporates not only the genetic potential of a organism, but also how this has been shaped and modified by environment, diet, microbiome etc as the organism grows develops and matures.

In veterinary science, metabolomics is particularly useful to:^{(adapted from (1))}:

(1) identify predictive, prognostic, diagnostic, and surrogate markers of various diseases and disease states

(2) identify and better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms of disease

(3) sub-classify diseases and potentially stratify diseases e.g. diabetes may be more than a single disease

(4) identify the drug response phenotypes in the individual, providing an effective means to predict variation in treatment outcomes (pharmacometabolomics);

(5) identify how genotype and metabolism are intertwined by identifying a “metabotype” for specific genotypes with explanations of biochemical effects of genetic variants

(6) provide a means to monitor response and recurrence of diseases, such as cancers

(7) better understand biochemical adaptation for extreme conditions including adverse environments or high performance animals.

1. Beger et al 10.1007/s11306-016-1094-6

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