Metabolomics
Capture the direct signals of phenotypic change through precise metabolite quantification — a direct readout of physiological status.
Broad-Targeted Metabolomics
Widely-targeted metabolomics integrates the breadth of untargeted and the accuracy of targeted metabolomics, enabling high-throughput screening of large metabolite sets and precise MRM quantification. Metabolites are end or intermediate products whose types and levels directly reflect phenotype; versus transcriptomics, proteomics and genomics, metabolomics holds unique advantages in phenotypic functional studies. Applied in precision medicine and agriculture, it supports diagnostic biomarkers, pathway dissection, active-component discovery and crop-quality regulation.
Principle Introduction
Widely-targeted metabolomics uses high- and low-resolution MS platforms in two phases. Qualitative screening: UPLC-QTOF/MS with a built-in library (MS1, MS2, RT) for initial identification and de-duplication. Precise quantification: UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS in MRM mode (gold standard) targeting identified metabolites, with QC-based quality control. Data analysis: preprocessing, differential screening, enrichment and multi-omics association to link metabolites with phenotypes.
Literature
In "Metabolome profiling by widely-targeted metabolomics and biomarker panel selection using machine-learning for patients in different stages of chronic kidney disease" (Chin Chem Lett), 83 participants (21 controls, 62 CKD: 22 stage 1–3, 20 stage 4, 20 stage 5) were profiled by widely-targeted metabolomics, identifying 1,431 metabolites. Clustering split 539 into 6 groups with amino acids, organic acids, glycerophospholipids and nucleotides changing with renal decline. A random-forest model selected 7 core biomarkers, with 5-aminoimidazole nucleotide as the key stage-distinguishing feature, building a CKD-stage prediction model.
Sample Requirements
≥200 μL/sample; avoid hemolysis, snap-freeze, −80°C
≥100 mg/sample; snap-freeze, dry-ice ship, avoid freeze-thaw
≥1×10⁷/sample; remove medium, snap-freeze
≥200 mg/sample; freeze promptly, dry-ice ship
≥600 mg/sample; grind in liquid N₂, store cold
≥600 mg/sample; dry, mold-free, sealed cold
≥200 μL/sample; aseptic collection, snap-freeze −80°C
Deliverables
Raw detection data
dual-platform MS raw spectra and quantitative tables.
Experimental report
principles, instruments/reagents, steps, QC results.
Bioinformatics report
preprocessing, qualitative/quantitative statistics, differential screening, enrichment, pathway maps, multi-omics association (on request); cloud-platform delivery and mining supported.
FAQ
High—down to pg-level precise detection of low-abundance substances.
Animal/medical library >9,000 endogenous metabolites; plant library >70,000 plant compounds, 2,000–4,000 detected per run (1,400+ Level1), suited to quality/stress studies.
Untargeted is unbiased but lower quantitative precision; widely-targeted combines breadth and accuracy with MRM, better for cohorts and validation.
