title: Advances in analysis of microbial metabolic fluxes via (13)C isotopic labeling.
abstract: Metabolic flux analysis via (13)C labeling ((13)C MFA) quantitatively tracks metabolic pathway activity and determines overall enzymatic function in cells. Three core techniques are necessary for (13)C MFA: (1) a steady state cell culture in a defined medium with labeled-carbon substrates; (2) precise measurements of the labeling pattern of targeted metabolites; and (3) evaluation of the data sets obtained from mass spectrometry measurements with a computer model to calculate the metabolic fluxes. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the (13)C-flux analysis technologies, including mini-bioreactor usage for tracer experiments, isotopomer analysis of metabolites via high resolution mass spectrometry (such as GC-MS, LC-MS, or FT-ICR), high performance and large-scale isotopomer modeling programs for flux analysis, and the integration of fluxomics with other functional genomics studies. It will be shown that there is a significant value for (13)C-based metabolic flux analysis in many biological research fields.
authors.affiliation: Joint Bio-Energy Institute, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
authors.forename: Yinjie J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Hector Garcia
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Edward E K
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Baidoo
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Keasling
mesh_terms: D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D007553:Isotope Labeling / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D002244:Carbon