Genomics, Proteomics And Metabolomics And Its Application In Natural Products Study

Genomics is not well defined as a term but it can refer to analysis of the whole genome but it can also mean analysis of multiple genes, gene products or regions of genes. This is an important research field when studying natural products and can be applied by using molecular biology techniques such as microarrays. Microarray is a method where messenger RNA (mRNA) is collected from an infected and an uninfected cell. The mRNA is reverse transcribed from mRNA to cDNA (complementary DNA). The two different samples uninfected vs. infected is then fluorescence labeled with red in the infected, and uninfected with green. When fluorescing the cells, the samples can be combined in a tube and applied to the microarray chip that also contains cDNA. So that the cDNA in the sample can bind to the cDNA in the chip. The chip is scanned with laser that activates the fluorescent dye in the cDNA, which the computer captures. The computer then calculates the ratio of red and green on each spot. This indicates which genes are expressed in the uninfected and in the infected samples. One example were microarray has been useful is in the study of the gum resin, which have been used as a traditional medicine to cure inflammation. A genetic analysis showed that the gum resin inhibits some expressions of a compound named TNF-α which is involved in inducing inflammations in human endothelial cells.

Proteomics means the study of proteins structure, function and their interaction. This method is also of importance since it can characterize cells and tissues. In the study of natural products this method can show the enzymes that are interacting in the biosynthesis of the compound of interest. by studying proteomics, you can study the present proteins under a given condition, such as stress, normal, drug intake, this is of interest since it can give a insight of the adaption under a specific condition. This is of value since it can be a helpful when testing new drugs, and you want to see how it affects. Methods that are useful in proteomics are automated gel electrophoresis for separation of proteins according on their size. But also, methods such as advanced mass spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, electrospray ionization and also microarray technique to detect proteins but also to study the function of them.

Metabolomics is used to study all the metabolites in an organism, which is powerful when studying natural drugs, because this can show the metabolic reactions when administrating a certain drug. But also, when it comes to pesticides, and harmful bacteria, metabolomics can be divided in two groups, one of them called metabolic profiling which is a method for measuring metabolites in an organism. When metabolic profiling is used the whole organism is considered and is looked at in general while the other group is named metabolic fingerprinting, and measures a fingerprint of a metabolite, by saying metabolic fingerprinting this means that a specific compound(s) is looked at during the study. One well used method in metabolomics is Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) that can be used on body fluids to study the effect of different drugs.

The NMR method in metabolomics is important since the molecules in the living system/organism can describe the physiological state of it. The NMR spectroscopy is an analytical chemistry technique that can help to determine the molecular structure in a sample. When NMR is used the sample is placed in a strong magnetic field. The sample is then irradiated with radio waves. The molecules absorb radiation in a certain frequency depending on their molecular structure. So, by measuring the frequency at which the absorption occurs, and by measuring how much energy the sample absorbs. A conclusion can be drawn about the molecular structure of the substance. Other methods that can be used are Gas chromatography (GC), high-performance liquid chromatography (LC), and mass spectroscopy (MS).