Tutorial of IsoPairFinder

A tutorial for IsoPairFinder
Author
Affiliation

Zhiwei Zhou

Stanford University

Published

June 20, 2025

Abstract

Understanding metabolic pathways in gut microbes is crucial for advancing microbiome research, yet identifying specific metabolic intermediates remains challenging due to the complexity of LC-MS data analysis. IsoPairFinder is a novel tool designed to streamline Stable Isotope Tracing (SIT) metabolomics from gene-edited microbes, enabling efficient identification of pathway intermediates and gene functions. IsoPairFinder offers an end-to-end workflow that: (1) Detects differential ion signals resulting from gene mutations; (2) Consolidates redundant LC-MS features (isotopes, adducts, fragments); (3) Pairs ¹²C/¹³C features to highlight candidate intermediates. Compatible with popular metabolomics data processing tools, IsoPairFinder empowers researchers to rapidly generate actionable biological insights. This tutorial provides step-by-step guidance for using IsoPairFinder.

The ways to access IsoPairFinder are listed below:

Access Method Type Link Document
R Package Command line tools Link Documentation
Web Server Graphic interface within GNPS2 ecosystem Link Documentation


If you used IsoPairFinder in your research, please cite the following paper:

  • Zhou, Z., et al., IsoPairFinder: A tool for biochemical pathway discovery using stable isotope tracing metabolomics, In preparation, 2025.

For questions, contact Zhiwei Zhou (Stanford University).