A Metadata description of the data in "A metabolomic comparison of urinary changes in type 2 diabetes in mouse, rat, and human."

Julian L Griffin,Reza M Salek,Helen J Atherton,Christoph Steinbeck

doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-272

Abstract

BackgroundMetabolomics is a rapidly developing functional genomic tool that has a wide range of applications in diverse fields in biology and medicine. However, unlike transcriptomics and proteomics there is currently no central repository for the depositing of data despite efforts by the Metabolomics Standard Initiative (MSI) to develop a standardised description of a metabolomic experiment.FindingsIn this manuscript we describe how the MSI description has been applied to a published dataset involving the identification of cross-species metabolic biomarkers associated with type II diabetes. The study describes sample collection of urine from mice, rats and human volunteers, and the subsequent acquisition of data by high resolution 1H NMR spectroscopy. The metadata is described to demonstrate how the MSI descriptions could be applied in a manuscript and the spectra have also been made available for the mouse and rat studies to allow others to process the data.ConclusionsThe intention of this manuscript is to stimulate discussion as to whether the MSI description is sufficient to describe the metadata associated with metabolomic experiments and encourage others to make their data available to other researchers.

Highlights

Metabolomics is a rapidly developing functional genomic tool that has a wide range of applications in diverse fields in biology and medicine
The intention of this manuscript is to stimulate discussion as to whether the Metabolomics Standard Initiative (MSI) description is sufficient to describe the metadata associated with metabolomic experiments and encourage others to make their data available to other researchers
Metabolomics as a functional genomic tool is rapidly growing in popularity for a range of applications across all the kingdoms of life

Summary

Introduction

Metabolomics is a rapidly developing functional genomic tool that has a wide range of applications in diverse fields in biology and medicine. Conclusions: The intention of this manuscript is to stimulate discussion as to whether the MSI description is sufficient to describe the metadata associated with metabolomic experiments and encourage others to make their data available to other researchers.

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Results

Conclusion