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Metabolism is tied into complex interactions with cell intrinsic and extrinsic processes that go beyond the conversion of nutrients into energy and biomass. Indeed, metabolism is a central cellular hub that interconnects and influences the microenvironment, the cellular phenotype, cell signaling, and the (epi)genetic landscape. While these interactions evolved to support survival and function of normal cells, they are hijacked by cancer cells to enable cancer maintenance and progression. Thus, a mechanistic and functional understanding of complex metabolic interactions provides a basis for the discovery of novel metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer. In this review, we will summarize and provide context for the to-date discovered complex metabolic interactions by discussing how the microenvironment as well as the cellular phenotype define cancer metabolism, and how metabolism shapes the epigenetic state of cancer cells. Many of the studies investigating the crosstalk of metabolism with cell intrinsic and extrinsic processes have used integrative data analysis approaches at the interface between computational and experimental cancer research, and we will highlight those throughout the review. In conclusion, identifying and understanding complex metabolic interactions is a basis for deciphering novel metabolic vulnerabilities of cancer cells. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2018, 10:e1397. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1397 This article is categorized under: Biological Mechanisms > Metabolism, Physiology > Mammalian Physiology in Health and Disease [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic alterations have emerged as an important hallmark in the development of various diseases. Thus, understanding the complex interplay of metabolism with other cellular processes such as cell signalling is critical to rationally control and modulate cellular physiology. Here, we review in the context of mammalian target of rapamycin, AMP-activated protein kinase and p53, the orchestrated interplay between metabolism and cellular signalling as well as transcriptional regulation. Moreover, we discuss recent discoveries in auto-regulation of metabolism ( i.e. how metabolic parameters such as metabolite levels activate or inhibit enzymes and thus metabolic pathways). Finally, we review functional consequences of post-translational modification on metabolic enzyme abundance and/or activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]