Omics

The original use of the suffix 'ome' was when the word 'genome' was first defined as the *complete* genetic makup of an organism in its entirity. Since then the 'ome' has been used and variously abused in a whole host of other contexts.

Defining new 'omes' is currently a game played by people in the field of bioinformatics. They vie for the most ridiculous 'ome', much to the annoyance of 'propper scientists'.

Some of the more common 'omes' are very well established, having shaken their roots in the sales talk lingo of buzzword-ism, being just too catchy not to be usefull in common parlance.

Some of the 'omes' are listed below, in approximate order of acceptance.

NB: This is a paired list of 'omes' and their associated fields (just for the sake of having the links).

• Genome The complete genetic makup of an organism.
• Genomics The study of the genome and related topics / technologies.

Unlike the following 'omes', the genome is relativly homogeneous throughout the organism, each cell containing exactly the same genetic material.

• Proteome The totality of proteins (expressed genes) in an organism, tissue type or cell.
• Proteomics The study of the proteome and realated topics / technologies.

• Glycome The total sugar type molecules in an organisms.
• Glycomics The study thereof.

• Transcriptome The mRNA complement of an entire organism, tissue type, or cell.
• Transcriptomics People balked at this word at first, now it is fairly well accepted.

• Metabolome The totality of metabolites (small molecules) in an organism.
• Metabolomics The study of the metabolome and realated topics / technologies.

• Interactome The totality of the molecular interactions in an organism.
• Interactomics A newly developing field with some exciting new experimental and computatioal technologies.

• Kinome The totality of protein kinases in a cell.
• Kinomics The study of the kinome. Publications exist!

• Glycosilome Related to glycosylation.
• Glycosilome You just wait and see!

• Physiome Something to do with physiology?
• Physiomics You think I am making this up don't you?

And from the ridiculous to the (charmingly) absurd...

• Psychologome and Psychologomics - The new name for psychology.

• Sociome and Sociomics - The new name for sociology.

• Econome For example the econome of Brazil.
• Economics - Hey!

And finally the very real Holomics which is a bit of a strange one considering the meaning and general use of the suffix 'ome'.

Given the current cudos associated with generating the new 'omes', and the delightful irritation with which they are received by established members of the biological community, I would like to add... the metaome, just so I can say that I have already claimed them all... cudos to me!