Biosynthetic Codes
The structures of DNA, RNA, and proteins are determined by template-based syntheses of replication, transcription, and translation with the genetic code.
In contrast, the structures of glycans, lipids, polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, and various secondary metabolites are determined by biosynthetic pathways.
KEGG COMPOUND, as well as KEGG GLYCAN, is a resource for understanding such biosynthetic codes and for inferring chemical repertoires of these diverse substances from genomic information.
KEGG COMPOUND Database
KEGG COMPOUND is a chemical structure database for metabolic compounds and other chemical substances that are relevant to biological systems.
Each entry is identified by the C number, such as C00047 for L-lysine, and contains various links to other KEGG databases and also to outside databases.
Peptides
Peptide entries in KEGG COMPOUND are designated with "Peptide" in the first Entry line (see example here). They are always represented as sequence information using the three-letter amino acid codes, but they may or may not contain the full atomic structure representation.
Small bioactive peptides are categorized in the BRITE hierarchy file shown below.
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Lipids
KEGG BRITE contains a classification of lipids, and KEGG PATHWAY contains pathway maps for lipid biosynthesis and metabolism and a structure map for polyunsaturated fatty acids (see reference).
Polyketides and Nonribosomal Peptides
Polyketide (PK) and nonribosomal peptide (NRP) entries are designated in KEGG COMPOUND with "PK", "NRP", or "PKNRP" (mixed type) in the first Entry line (see example here).
They are represented as sequence information using the abbreviation codes for the monomeric units of carboxylic acids and amino acids.
PKs and NRPs are categorized in KEGG BRITE and KEGG PATHWAY.
Plant Secondary Metobolites
Plants are known to produce diverse compounds, many of which have practical values.
Our knowledge on plant secondary metabolites is being organized in KEGG BRITE and KEGG PATHWAY.
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