Reconstruction and topology analysis of metabolic network involved in Bos Taurus milk production

The modeling of metabolism of milk production through the reconstruction of metabolic networks involved in the milk production in cow (bos taurus) from the available genomics information is possible now and may be uncover a comprehensive view on this complex process. Computation of topological indices and quantitative characterizations, are some of the principle computations based on graph theory applied in biological data. In the present study, the metabolic network involved in milk production in cow was reconstructed and analyzed based on the available bovine genome information using several public datasbaces (NCBI, Uniprot, KEGG, and Brenda). The reconstructed network was consisted of 3605 reactions named by KEGG compound numbers and 646 enzymes that catalyzed the corresponding reactions. The characteristics of the directed and undirected network have been analyzed using Graph Theory. The mean path length was identified equal to 5.51 and 5.53 for directed and undirected networks, respectively. The top 23 hub metabolites have been determined, that the abnormality among these metabolites may have some dangers for bovine health and reduce milk production. Therefore, the aim of constructing the metabolites centric network is to see if the network follows the same network properties of the biological networks. Key metabolites have been determined. The results include information that might improve the better understanding and more knowledge about milk production in cow and could be beneficial to cow breeding.