Profiling microbial metabolomes: what do we stand to gain?

Abstract

Microbes are the most metabolically diverse living forms on earth, capable of occupying every niche imaginable. There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained by studying this diversity and the complexities of microbial biochemistry. Post-genome science is characterized by the parallel analyses of gene products at the level of transcripts, proteins, and metabolites, to explain much of this diversity and cellular complexities. Several of the cells' activities are mediated by metabolites and several cellular activities are enacted at the level of the metabolome (the metabolite complement of the cell). This discussion offers a general perspective on the rationale of metabolome analyses and the potential role it can play in microbiology and microbial biotechnology. Current trends and challenges in profiling microbial metabolomes are also briefly addressed.

Leakage of adenylates during cold methanol/glycerol quenching of Escherichia coli

“…Strategies for analyzing metabolites exist since the early days of biochemistry, but capturing metabolomic changes in the cellular milieu are only beginning to be appreciated (Vaidyanathan 2005). Developments in microbial metabolomics are currently reviewed by Mashego et al (2007) as well as Oldiges et al (2007).…”

Investigation on response of the metabolites in tricarboxylic acid cycle of Escherichi coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antibiotic perturbation by capillary electrophoresis

“…Because in the TCA cycle, cis-aconitic acid is a transitory existence compound and is easily catalyzed to isocitric acid and scarcely involved in other metabolic pathways, it was not treated as a target compound to be separated. Pyruvic acid plays a significant role in central carbolic metabolism both in the prokaryocytes and the eukaryocytes; it was taken into consideration [13]. Accordingly, lactic acid, a reduction product coming from pyruvic acid, which can indicate the alternative pathway's activating instead of TCA cycle, is also regarded as one of great importance metabolite to be separated [1,13].…”

“…Pyruvic acid plays a significant role in central carbolic metabolism both in the prokaryocytes and the eukaryocytes; it was taken into consideration [13]. Accordingly, lactic acid, a reduction product coming from pyruvic acid, which can indicate the alternative pathway's activating instead of TCA cycle, is also regarded as one of great importance metabolite to be separated [1,13]. The typical electrophorogram of these nine carboxylic acids separated under the optimized conditions is shown in Fig.…”

Metabolomic diversity in the species Escherichia coli and its relationship to genetic population structure

“…In (c) the individual culture data without elimination of variant spots is included to illustrate the extent of culture-to-culture or experimental variation in replicate cultures of the two K-12 strains. specialization and pleiotropic effects are likely in most organisms, which should further encourage the search for metabolomic diagnostics of biochemical individuality in all species (Goodacre et al, 2004;Vaidyanathan, 2005).…”