Network Working Group B. Kovitz
Request for Comments: 3823 Caltech
Category: Informational June 2004
MIME Media Type for the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML)
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004).
Abstract
This document registers the MIME sub-type application/sbml+xml, a
media type for SBML, the Systems Biology Markup Language. SBML is
defined by The SBML Team at the California Institute of Technology
and interested members of the systems biology community.
1. Introduction
SBML is an XML format for representing and exchanging models of
biochemical reaction networks used in systems biology. SBML:
o enables researchers in systems biology to use multiple tools, such
as simulators, editors, differential-equation solvers, and
visualizers, on a single model without rewriting the model for
each tool;
o enables researchers and publishers to make models available on-
line to other researchers even if they use a different software
environment;
o enables models, and the intellectual effort put into them, to
survive beyond the lifetime of the software tools used to create
them.
Currently, about 60 software applications use SBML, and researchers
are using these applications to develop quantitative and qualitative
computational models, mostly in cell biology. In addition, several
consortia and alliances have standardized SBML as their model
Kovitz Informational [Page 1]RFC 3823 Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) June 2004
definition language. The SBML community hopes that a standardized
MIME media type will help researchers share models on a larger scale,
drawing more heavily on the capabilities of the world-wide web.
A detailed exposition of SBML and its uses within the systems biology
community is available in references [HUCKA2003], [FINNEY2003], and
[HUCKA2004].
2. IANA Registration
This section registers application/sbml+xml as a MIME media type
according to the parameters set forth in [RFC2048].
MIME media type name: application
MIME subtype name: sbml+xml
Required parameters: none.
Optional parameters: none.
There is no charset parameter. Character handling has identical
semantics to the case where the charset parameter of the
"application/xml" media type is omitted, as described in section
3.2 of [RFC3023]. Note that SBML level 2 is defined to have UTF-8
encoding [SBML2-1, section 4.1].
Encoding considerations:
Same as described in section 3.2 of [RFC3023].
Security considerations:
The security considerations described in section 7 of [RFC3470]
all potentially apply to sbml+xml documents. In particular,
sbml+xml documents might contain the results of proprietary
biological research that their owner may wish to keep private.
The XML schema for sbml+xml provides for no active or executable
content.
Interoperability considerations:
The information in an sbml+xml document describes an abstract
model of biochemical reactions. It is not tied to any particular
software application, and indeed the primary purpose of SBML is to
make these models readable and writable by many different software
applications.
Kovitz Informational [Page 2]RFC 3823 Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) June 2004
This might seem to make sbml+xml more appropriate for the "Model"
primary content type [RFC2077], but SBML models are not guaranteed
to have the required three orthogonal dimensions. SBML models,
rather, involve interacting entities that exist within
compartments. However, ideally, browsers and other software that
reads sbml+xml would give a human reader multiple choices of how
to view the document: in a data-visualization tool, in a model
editor, in a differential-equation analyzer, etc.
The systems biology community has and will continue to release new
levels and versions of the SBML schema and semantics. New
versions attempt to be backward compatible with old versions, but
sometimes small incompatibilities are introduced. Every sbml+xml
document contains its level and version; programs that read
sbml+xml should read this information to be sure they correctly
interpret the remainder of the document.
Published specification:
A list of all current SBML specifications and related documents is
maintained at:
http://sbml.org/documents
Current specifications are:
SBML level 2, version 1
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-2-v1.ps
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-2-v1.pdf
SBML level 1, version 2
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-1-v2.ps
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-1-v2.pdf
SBML level 1, version 1
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-1-v1.ps
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-1-v1.pdf
All specifications are authored by and available in hardcopy form
from The SBML Team (see below for mailing information).
Applications which use this media type:
The following application and database projects read and/or write
models in sbml+xml format. Currently, most do not encode or
decode MIME-format messages. Hopefully the registration of
Kovitz Informational [Page 3]RFC 3823 Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) June 2004
sbml+xml will make it easier for these projects to connect through
a broader infrastructure, such as the creation of repositories of
models on the world-wide web.
BALSA
BASIS
BioCharon
biocyc2SBML
BioGrid
BioNetGen
Bio Sketch Pad
BioSpreadsheet
BioUML
BSTLab
CADLIVE
CellDesigner
Cellerator
Cellware
COPASI
Cytoscape
DBsolve
Dizzy
E-CELL
ecellJ
ESS
Gepasi
Jarnac
JDesigner
JigCell
JSIM
JWS
Karyote
KEGG2SBML
Kinsolver (planned)
libSBML
MathSBML
MMT2
Modesto
MOMA (planned)
Monod
NetBuilder
PathArt
PathScout
PaVESy
PathwayBuilder
ProcessDB (planned)
SBW
SCIpath
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SigPath
SigTran
Simpathica
SimWiz
StochSim
STOCKS
Trelis
Virtual Cell
VLX Suite
WinSCAMP
A list of SBML-enabled applications, along with URLs for more
information about them, is maintained at http://sbml.org.
Additional information:
For further information, contact:
Michael Hucka
mhucka@caltech.edu
Andrew Finney
afinney@cds.caltech.edu
The SBML Team
http://sbml.org
sbml-team@caltech.edu
Control and Dynamical Systems, MC 107-81
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA 91125
USA
Intended usage: LIMITED USE
Author/Change Controller:
The SBML specification is a free, open, community effort organized
and edited by The SBML Team. The SBML Team has change control
over the specification.
The SBML Team and interested members of the systems biology
community meet regularly at the "Workshops on Software Platforms
for Systems Biology". Information about past and planned
workshops is maintained at:
http://sbml.org/workshops
Kovitz Informational [Page 5]RFC 3823 Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) June 2004
3. Security Considerations
Security considerations for sbml+xml are discussed in the "Security
Considerations" heading in the IANA registration in section 2.
4. Contributors
The following people contributed to the content of this document:
Michael Hucka (Caltech), Andrew Finney (University of Hertfordshire).
5. References
5.1. Normative References
[SBML2-1] Finney, A. and Hucka, M., "Systems Biology Markup
Language (SBML) Level 2: Structures and Facilities for
Model Definitions", June 28, 2003. Available from The
SBML Team at: http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-
level-2-v1.pdf
[SBML1-2] Hucka, M., Finney, A., Sauro, H. and Bolouri, H.,
"Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) Level 1:
Structures and Facilities for Basic Model Definitions",
August 28, 2003. Available from The SBML Team at:
http://sbml.org/specifications/sbml-level-1-v2.pdf
5.2. Informative References
[FINNEY2003] Finney, A. and Hucka, M., "Systems Biology Markup
Language: Level 2 and Beyond", Biochemical Society
Transactions 31:1472-1473, December, 2003.
[HUCKA2003] Hucka, M., Finney, A., Sauro, H.M., Bolouri, H., Doyle,
J.C., Kitano, H., Arkin, A.P., Bornstein, B.J., Bray,
D., Cornish-Bowden, A., Cuellar, A.A., Dronov, S.,
Gilles, E.D., Ginkel, M., Gor, V., Goryanin, I.I.,
Hedley, W.J., Hodgman, T.C., Hofmeyr, J.-H., Hunter,
P.J., Juty, N.S., Kasberger, J.L., Kremling, A., Kummer,
U., Le Novere, N., Loew, L.M., Lucio, D., Mendes, P.,
Minch, E., Mjolsness, E.D., Nakayama, Y., Nelson, M.R.,
Nielsen, P.F., Sakurada, T., Schaff, J.C., Shapiro,
B.E., Shimizu, T.S., Spence, H.D., Stelling, J.,
Takahashi, K., Tomita, M., Wagner, J., Wang, J., "The
Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML): a Medium for
Representation and Exchange of Biochemical Network
Models", Bioinformatics 19(4):524-531, 2003.
Kovitz Informational [Page 6]RFC 3823 Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) June 2004
[HUCKA2004] Hucka, M., Finney, A., Bornstein, B. J., Keating, S. M.,
Shapiro, B. E., Matthews, M., Kovitz, B. L., Schilstra,
M. J., Funahashi, A., Doyle, J. C., and Kitano, H.,
"Evolving a Lingua Franca and Associated Software
Infrastructure for Computational Systems Biology: The
Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) Project", Systems
Biology, Vol. 1, 2004.
[RFC2048] Freed, N., Klensin, J. and J. Postel, "Multipurpose
Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) Part Four: Registration
Procedures", BCP 13, RFC 2048, November 1996.
[RFC2077] Nelson, S. and C. Parks, "The Model Primary Content Type
for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions", RFC 2077,
January 1997.
[RFC3023] Murata, M., St. Laurent, S. and D. Kohn, "XML Media
Types", RFC 3023, January 2001.
[RFC3470] Hollenbeck, S., Rose, M. and L. Masinter, "Guidelines
for the Use of Extensible Markup Language (XML) within
IETF Protocols", BCP 70, RFC 3470, January 2003.
6. Author's Address
Ben Kovitz
Control and Dynamical Systems, MC 107-81
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA 91125
USA
Phone: +1 626 395-6911
EMail: bkovitz@caltech.edu
Kovitz Informational [Page 7]RFC 3823 Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) June 2004
7. Full Copyright Statement
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004). This document is subject
to the rights, licenses and restrictions contained in BCP 78, and
except as set forth therein, the authors retain all their rights.
This document and the information contained herein are provided on an
"AS IS" basis and THE CONTRIBUTOR, THE ORGANIZATION HE/SHE REPRESENTS
OR IS SPONSORED BY (IF ANY), THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET
ENGINEERING TASK FORCE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE
INFORMATION HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
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Acknowledgement
Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
Internet Society.
Kovitz Informational [Page 8]
