The model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is particularly well-suited to develop metabolomic, lipidomic, and glycomic approaches for the study of a fully differentiated animal. Application of these systems-level approaches to a genetically highly tractable model organism holds great promise to advance our knowledge of primary and specialized metabolism and its role in the biology and ecology of C. elegans. Recent efforts have aimed to understand interactions between the C. elegans metabolism and its development, aging, and environmental conditions, which has resulted in the discovery of a large number of new metabolite structures, biosynthetic pathways, and signaling functions.
This Research Topic aims to review current small molecule omics research in C. elegans, with a focus on promising new techniques and exciting applications. We welcome contributions from experts at measuring and analyzing metabolomics, lipidomics, and glycomics in C. elegans, as well as additional insights that merge these small molecule-focused technologies with more traditional genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics for a systems interpretation of phenotype. Developing C. elegans as a model system for metabolomics, lipidomics, and glycomics will have a major impact on other model systems, as well as on the understanding and treatment of human disease; as such, we will include perspectives from these areas to highlight potential synergies of a phylogenetic perspective in systems biology.
The model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is particularly well-suited to develop metabolomic, lipidomic, and glycomic approaches for the study of a fully differentiated animal. Application of these systems-level approaches to a genetically highly tractable model organism holds great promise to advance our knowledge of primary and specialized metabolism and its role in the biology and ecology of C. elegans. Recent efforts have aimed to understand interactions between the C. elegans metabolism and its development, aging, and environmental conditions, which has resulted in the discovery of a large number of new metabolite structures, biosynthetic pathways, and signaling functions.
This Research Topic aims to review current small molecule omics research in C. elegans, with a focus on promising new techniques and exciting applications. We welcome contributions from experts at measuring and analyzing metabolomics, lipidomics, and glycomics in C. elegans, as well as additional insights that merge these small molecule-focused technologies with more traditional genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics for a systems interpretation of phenotype. Developing C. elegans as a model system for metabolomics, lipidomics, and glycomics will have a major impact on other model systems, as well as on the understanding and treatment of human disease; as such, we will include perspectives from these areas to highlight potential synergies of a phylogenetic perspective in systems biology.
