Abstract
The capabilities of genome-scale metabolic networks can be described through the determination of a set of systemically independent and unique flux maps called extreme pathways. The first study of genome-scale extreme pathways for the simultaneous formation of all nonessential amino acids or ribonucleotides in Helicobacter pylori is presented. Three key results were obtained. First, the extreme pathways for the production of individual amino acids in H. pylori showed far fewer internal states per external state than previously found in Haemophilus influenzae, indicating a more rigid metabolic network. Second, the degree of pathway redundancy in H. pylori was essentially the same for the production of individual amino acids and linked amino acid sets, but was approximately twice that of the production of the ribonucleotides. Third, the metabolic network of H. pylori was unable to achieve extensive conversion of amino acids consumed to the set of either nonessential amino acids or ribonucleotides and thus diverted a large portion of its nitrogen to ammonia production, a potentially important result for pH regulation in its acidic habitat. Genome-scale extreme pathways elucidate emergent system-wide properties. Extreme pathway analysis is emerging as a potentially important method to analyze the link between the metabolic genotype and its phenotypes.