Final answer:
A metabolome is the complete set of metabolites produced by an organism as a result of its metabolism. Studying the metabolome, through the field of metabolomics, helps link the genetic makeup to an organism's physical state and environmental influences.
Step-by-step explanation:
A metabolome is the collection of metabolites resulting from an organism's metabolic processes. In the study of metabolomics, which is related to genomics and proteomics, researchers aim to identify, quantify, and catalog all the metabolites found in the tissues and fluids of living organisms. These metabolites are small molecule byproducts of the biological pathways that are governed by an organism's genetic makeup and are influenced by environmental factors.
While a genome represents the complete set of genes within an organism, and a proteome is the entire set of proteins produced, the metabolome reflects the dynamic processes of an organism's metabolism. Through metabolomics, scientists can compare the genetic makeup of an organism to its physical characteristics and study the impact of environmental changes on metabolic processes. This can lead to insights into health and disease, such as identifying gene variations that produce specific metabolites associated with conditions like cancer.