The calculation and analysis of MCSs and EMs are features of the CellNetAnalyzer program [13]. 2. Defining Minimal Cut Sets S. Klamt and E.D. Gilles [12] defined MCSs as follows: “We call a set of reactions a cut set (with respect to a defined objective reaction) if after the removal of these reactions from the network no feasible balanced flux distribution involves the objective reaction”; and “A cut set Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical C (related to a defined objective reaction) is a minimal cut set (MCS) if no proper subset of C is a cut set.” In effect, an MCS (with respect to an objective reaction) constitutes the

minimal set of reactions whose removal from the network prevents any feasible balanced flux distribution involving the objective reaction; MCSs are the minimal hitting sets of the target EMs

[14] or the minimal sets of knockouts that disable the operation of a specified set of target elementary modes [15]. In terms of the network structure, a continued operation of the Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical objective reaction would not be Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical physiologically MK-0518 nmr possible because it would lead to the depletion or accumulation of metabolite pools and the system would not be able to achieve steady state. 2.1. The Initial Concept of MCSs The algorithm for calculating MCSs was developed by S. Klamt and E.D. Gilles [12] and operates on EMs [1,2,4]. In fact, EMs Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and MCSs complement each other, as will be discussed later on. The theory behind the use of EMs [1,2,4] for calculating MCSs is the fact that an EM is minimal, thus non-decomposable in terms of the reactions (enzymes)

utilized; removing a reaction from an EM results in the system not being able to achieve steady state with the remaining reactions of the EM. So, if the objective Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical reaction is identified for the network function of interest, and EMs are calculated for it, the MCSs would be the reactions that, if taken out, would result in the system not being able to achieve steady state with the remaining reactions in these particular EMs, i.e., cause the dysfunction of the system with respect to the objective reaction, so the corresponding network function is repressed. MCSs can be used for studying the fragility of a network structure and identifying suitable targets Bay 11-7085 for metabolic functionalities. For example, we have used MCSs [16] to study the functionalities of anthocyanin related genes in flowering plants. 2.2. Example Network to Illustrate MCSs To illustrate the MCS concept, consider the example network (NetEx) used in [11] and shown in Figure 1 below. The characteristics and hypergraphical nature of the network are important in defining its MCSs. Figure 1 Network layout for an example network (NetEx) discussed in [11].