Comparative Metabolomics: A Bioinformatics Perspective

Abstract

Metabolomics is a rapidly growing field that involves the comprehensive study of small molecule metabolites in biological systems. Comparative metabolomics, which compares metabolite profiles across different conditions, species, or time points, is essential for understanding metabolic changes in health and disease. Bioinformatics tools play a key role in the analysis, integration, and interpretation of complex metabolomics data. This article reviews bioinformatics approaches in comparative metabolomics, focusing on data preprocessing, statistical analysis, pathway analysis, and the integration of metabolomics with other omics data. We also discuss the challenges in analyzing metabolomics data and the future directions for bioinformatics in advancing metabolomics research.