The term metabolome was coined in 1998, by analogy to genome, transcriptome and proteome. The first research papers using the terms metabolomics, metabonomics, metabolic profiling or metabolite profiling were published shortly thereafter. In this short review we reflect on the major achievements brought about by the use of these approaches, and document the knowledge and technology gaps that are currently constraining its further development. Finally, we detail why we think that the time is ripe to refocus our efforts on the understanding of metabolic function.
Keywords: GC-MS; LC-MS; metabolite function; metabolite profiling; metabolomics.
© 2018 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.