Petri Nets for Modelling Metabolic Pathways: A Survey

P. Baldan(1), N. Cocco (2), A. Marin(2) M. Simeoni(2),

(1) Dipartimento di Matematica Pura e Applicata, Università di Padova, Italia.
(2) Dipartimento di Informatica, Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia, Italia.

Abstract:

In the last fifteen years, several research efforts have been di- rected towards the representation and the analysis of metabolic pathways by using Petri nets. The goal of this paper is twofold. First, we discuss how the knowledge about metabolic pathways can be represented with Petri nets. We point out the main problems that arise in the construc- tion of a Petri net model of a metabolic pathway and we outline some solutions proposed in the literature. Second, we present a comprehensive review of recent research on this topic, in order to assess the maturity of the field and the availability of a methodology for modelling a metabolic pathway by a corresponding Petri net.