1
|
Chiarelli DP, Sharma BD, Hon S, Bergamo LW, Lynd LR, Olson DG. Expression and characterization of monofunctional alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in Clostridium thermocellum. Metab Eng Commun 2024; 19:e00243. [PMID: 39040142 PMCID: PMC11260334 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2024.e00243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Clostridium thermocellum is a thermophilic anaerobic bacterium that could be used for cellulosic biofuel production due to its strong native ability to consume cellulose, however its ethanol production ability needs to be improved to enable commercial application. In our previous strain engineering work, we observed a spontaneous mutation in the native adhE gene that reduced ethanol production. Here we attempted to complement this mutation by heterologous expression of 18 different alcohol dehydrogenase (adh) genes. We were able to express all of them successfully in C. thermocellum. Surprisingly, however, none of them increased ethanol production, and several actually decreased it. Our findings contribute to understanding the correlation between C. thermocellum ethanol production and Adh enzyme cofactor preferences. The identification of a set of adh genes that can be successfully expressed in this organism provides a foundation for future investigations into how the properties of Adh enzymes affect ethanol production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Prates Chiarelli
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Biologia (IB), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Bishal Dev Sharma
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Shuen Hon
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Luana Walravens Bergamo
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Biologia (IB), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lee R. Lynd
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Daniel G. Olson
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
- Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shen Y, Dinh HV, Cruz ER, Chen Z, Bartman CR, Xiao T, Call CM, Ryseck RP, Pratas J, Weilandt D, Baron H, Subramanian A, Fatma Z, Wu ZY, Dwaraknath S, Hendry JI, Tran VG, Yang L, Yoshikuni Y, Zhao H, Maranas CD, Wühr M, Rabinowitz JD. Mitochondrial ATP generation is more proteome efficient than glycolysis. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:1123-1132. [PMID: 38448734 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-024-01571-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic efficiency profoundly influences organismal fitness. Nonphotosynthetic organisms, from yeast to mammals, derive usable energy primarily through glycolysis and respiration. Although respiration is more energy efficient, some cells favor glycolysis even when oxygen is available (aerobic glycolysis, Warburg effect). A leading explanation is that glycolysis is more efficient in terms of ATP production per unit mass of protein (that is, faster). Through quantitative flux analysis and proteomics, we find, however, that mitochondrial respiration is actually more proteome efficient than aerobic glycolysis. This is shown across yeast strains, T cells, cancer cells, and tissues and tumors in vivo. Instead of aerobic glycolysis being valuable for fast ATP production, it correlates with high glycolytic protein expression, which promotes hypoxic growth. Aerobic glycolytic yeasts do not excel at aerobic growth but outgrow respiratory cells during oxygen limitation. We accordingly propose that aerobic glycolysis emerges from cells maintaining a proteome conducive to both aerobic and hypoxic growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Shen
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Hoang V Dinh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Edward R Cruz
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Zihong Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton Branch, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Caroline R Bartman
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton Branch, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Tianxia Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Catherine M Call
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Rolf-Peter Ryseck
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jimmy Pratas
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Daniel Weilandt
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Heide Baron
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Arjuna Subramanian
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Zia Fatma
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Zong-Yen Wu
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sudharsan Dwaraknath
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - John I Hendry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Vinh G Tran
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Lifeng Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Yasuo Yoshikuni
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Costas D Maranas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Martin Wühr
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Joshua D Rabinowitz
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton Branch, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chowdhury NB, Pokorzynski N, Rucks EA, Ouellette SP, Carabeo RA, Saha R. Metabolic model guided CRISPRi identifies a central role for phosphoglycerate mutase in Chlamydia trachomatis persistence. mSystems 2024; 9:e0071724. [PMID: 38940523 PMCID: PMC11323709 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00717-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Upon nutrient starvation, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L2 (CTL) shifts from its normal growth to a non-replicating form, termed persistence. It is unclear if persistence reflects an adaptive response or a lack thereof. To understand this, transcriptomics data were collected for CTL grown under nutrient-replete and nutrient-starved conditions. Applying K-means clustering on transcriptomics data revealed a global transcriptomic rewiring of CTL under stress conditions in the absence of any canonical global stress regulator. This is consistent with previous data that suggested that CTL's stress response is due to a lack of an adaptive response mechanism. To investigate the impact of this on CTL metabolism, we reconstructed a genome-scale metabolic model of CTL (iCTL278) and contextualized it with the collected transcriptomics data. Using the metabolic bottleneck analysis on contextualized iCTL278, we observed that phosphoglycerate mutase (pgm) regulates the entry of CTL to the persistence state. Our data indicate that pgm has the highest thermodynamics driving force and lowest enzymatic cost. Furthermore, CRISPRi-driven knockdown of pgm in the presence or absence of tryptophan revealed the importance of this gene in modulating persistence. Hence, this work, for the first time, introduces thermodynamics and enzyme cost as tools to gain a deeper understanding on CTL persistence. IMPORTANCE This study uses a metabolic model to investigate factors that contribute to the persistence of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L2 (CTL) under tryptophan and iron starvation conditions. As CTL lacks many canonical transcriptional regulators, the model was used to assess two prevailing hypotheses on persistence-that the chlamydial response to nutrient starvation represents a passive response due to the lack of regulators or that it is an active response by the bacterium. K-means clustering of stress-induced transcriptomics data revealed striking evidence in favor of the lack of adaptive (i.e., a passive) response. To find the metabolic signature of this, metabolic modeling pin-pointed pgm as a potential regulator of persistence. Thermodynamic driving force, enzyme cost, and CRISPRi knockdown of pgm supported this finding. Overall, this work introduces thermodynamic driving force and enzyme cost as a tool to understand chlamydial persistence, demonstrating how systems biology-guided CRISPRi can unravel complex bacterial phenomena.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Bahar Chowdhury
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Nick Pokorzynski
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Rucks
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Scot P. Ouellette
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Rey A. Carabeo
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Rajib Saha
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Omini J, Dele-Osibanjo T, Kim H, Zhang J, Obata T. Is the TCA cycle malate dehydrogenase-citrate synthase metabolon an illusion? Essays Biochem 2024:EBC20230084. [PMID: 38958532 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20230084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
This review discusses the intriguing yet controversial concept of metabolons, focusing on the malate dehydrogenase-citrate synthase (MDH-CISY) metabolon as a model. Metabolons are multienzyme complexes composed of enzymes that catalyze sequential reactions in metabolic pathways. Metabolons have been proposed to enhance metabolic pathway efficiency by facilitating substrate channeling. However, there is skepticism about the presence of metabolons and their functionality in physiological conditions in vivo. We address the skepticism by reviewing compelling evidence supporting the existence of the MDH-CISY metabolon and highlighting its potential functions in cellular metabolism. The electrostatic interaction between MDH and CISY and the intermediate oxaloacetate, channeled within the metabolon, has been demonstrated using various experimental techniques, including protein-protein interaction assays, isotope dilution studies, and enzyme coupling assays. Regardless of the wealth of in vitro evidence, further validation is required to elucidate the functionality of MDH-CISY metabolons in living systems using advanced structural and spatial analysis techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joy Omini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, U.S.A
| | - Taiwo Dele-Osibanjo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, U.S.A
| | - Heejeong Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, U.S.A
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, U.S.A
| | - Toshihiro Obata
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, U.S.A
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cannon WR, Britton S, Banwarth-Kuhn M, Alber M. Probabilistic and maximum entropy modeling of chemical reaction systems: Characteristics and comparisons to mass action kinetic models. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:214123. [PMID: 38842085 DOI: 10.1063/5.0180417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate and characterize a first-principles approach to modeling the mass action dynamics of metabolism. Starting from a basic definition of entropy expressed as a multinomial probability density using Boltzmann probabilities with standard chemical potentials, we derive and compare the free energy dissipation and the entropy production rates. We express the relation between entropy production and the chemical master equation for modeling metabolism, which unifies chemical kinetics and chemical thermodynamics. Because prediction uncertainty with respect to parameter variability is frequently a concern with mass action models utilizing rate constants, we compare and contrast the maximum entropy model, which has its own set of rate parameters, to a population of standard mass action models in which the rate constants are randomly chosen. We show that a maximum entropy model is characterized by a high probability of free energy dissipation rate and likewise entropy production rate, relative to other models. We then characterize the variability of the maximum entropy model predictions with respect to uncertainties in parameters (standard free energies of formation) and with respect to ionic strengths typically found in a cell.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William R Cannon
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, California 92505, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92505, USA
| | - Samuel Britton
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, California 92505, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92505, USA
| | - Mikahl Banwarth-Kuhn
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92505, USA
- Department of Mathematics, California State University East Bay, Hayward, California 94542, USA
| | - Mark Alber
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, California 92505, USA
- Center for Quantitative Modeling in Biology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92505, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Morelli AM, Scholkmann F. Should the standard model of cellular energy metabolism be reconsidered? Possible coupling between the pentose phosphate pathway, glycolysis and extra-mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Biochimie 2024; 221:99-109. [PMID: 38307246 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
The process of cellular respiration occurs for energy production through catabolic reactions, generally with glucose as the first process step. In the present work, we introduce a novel concept for understanding this process, based on our conclusion that glucose metabolism is coupled to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and extra-mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in a closed-loop process. According to the current standard model of glycolysis, glucose is first converted to glucose 6-phosphate (glucose 6-P) and then to fructose 6-phosphate, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and pyruvate, which then enters the Krebs cycle in the mitochondria. However, it is more likely that the pyruvate will be converted to lactate. In the PPP, glucose 6-P is branched off from glycolysis and used to produce NADPH and ribulose 5-phosphate (ribulose 5-P). Ribulose 5-P can be converted to fructose 6-P and glyceraldehyde 3-P. In our view, a circular process can take place in which the ribulose 5-P produced by the PPP enters the glycolysis pathway and is then retrogradely converted to glucose 6-P. This process is repeated several times until the complete degradation of glucose 6-P. The role of mitochondria in this process is to degrade lipids by beta-oxidation and produce acetyl-CoA; the function of producing ATP appears to be only secondary. This proposed new concept of cellular bioenergetics allows the resolution of some previously unresolved controversies related to cellular respiration and provides a deeper understanding of metabolic processes in the cell, including new insights into the Warburg effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Felix Scholkmann
- Neurophotonics and Biosignal Processing Research Group, Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gong Z, Chen J, Jiao X, Gong H, Pan D, Liu L, Zhang Y, Tan T. Genome-scale metabolic network models for industrial microorganisms metabolic engineering: Current advances and future prospects. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 72:108319. [PMID: 38280495 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
The construction of high-performance microbial cell factories (MCFs) is the centerpiece of biomanufacturing. However, the complex metabolic regulatory network of microorganisms poses great challenges for the efficient design and construction of MCFs. The genome-scale metabolic network models (GSMs) can systematically simulate the metabolic regulation process of microorganisms in silico, providing effective guidance for the rapid design and construction of MCFs. In this review, we summarized the development status of 16 important industrial microbial GSMs, and further outline the technologies or methods that continuously promote high-quality GSMs construction from five aspects: I) Databases and modeling tools facilitate GSMs reconstruction; II) evolving gap-filling technologies; III) constraint-based model reconstruction; IV) advances in algorithms; and V) developed visualization tools. In addition, we also summarized the applications of GSMs in guiding metabolic engineering from four aspects: I) exploring and explaining metabolic features; II) predicting the effects of genetic perturbations on metabolism; III) predicting the optimal phenotype; IV) guiding cell factories construction in practical experiment. Finally, we discussed the development of GSMs, aiming to provide a reference for efficiently reconstructing GSMs and guiding metabolic engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhijin Gong
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jiayao Chen
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xinyu Jiao
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hao Gong
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; College of Mathematics and Physics, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Danzi Pan
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; College of Mathematics and Physics, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Lingli Liu
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; College of Mathematics and Physics, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Tianwei Tan
- National Energy R&D Center for Biorefinery, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Baghdassarian HM, Lewis NE. Resource allocation in mammalian systems. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 71:108305. [PMID: 38215956 PMCID: PMC11182366 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Cells execute biological functions to support phenotypes such as growth, migration, and secretion. Complementarily, each function of a cell has resource costs that constrain phenotype. Resource allocation by a cell allows it to manage these costs and optimize their phenotypes. In fact, the management of resource constraints (e.g., nutrient availability, bioenergetic capacity, and macromolecular machinery production) shape activity and ultimately impact phenotype. In mammalian systems, quantification of resource allocation provides important insights into higher-order multicellular functions; it shapes intercellular interactions and relays environmental cues for tissues to coordinate individual cells to overcome resource constraints and achieve population-level behavior. Furthermore, these constraints, objectives, and phenotypes are context-dependent, with cells adapting their behavior according to their microenvironment, resulting in distinct steady-states. This review will highlight the biological insights gained from probing resource allocation in mammalian cells and tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hratch M Baghdassarian
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nathan E Lewis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Schulz-Mirbach H, Dronsella B, He H, Erb TJ. Creating new-to-nature carbon fixation: A guide. Metab Eng 2024; 82:12-28. [PMID: 38160747 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology aims at designing new biological functions from first principles. These new designs allow to expand the natural solution space and overcome the limitations of naturally evolved systems. One example is synthetic CO2-fixation pathways that promise to provide more efficient ways for the capture and conversion of CO2 than natural pathways, such as the Calvin Benson Bassham (CBB) cycle of photosynthesis. In this review, we provide a practical guideline for the design and realization of such new-to-nature CO2-fixation pathways. We introduce the concept of "synthetic CO2-fixation", and give a general overview over the enzymology and topology of synthetic pathways, before we derive general principles for their design from their eight naturally evolved analogs. We provide a comprehensive summary of synthetic carbon-assimilation pathways and derive a step-by-step, practical guide from the theoretical design to their practical implementation, before ending with an outlook on new developments in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Schulz-Mirbach
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Beau Dronsella
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Hai He
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany; Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 16, D-35043, Marburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Páez-Watson T, van Loosdrecht MCM, Wahl SA. From metagenomes to metabolism: Systematically assessing the metabolic flux feasibilities for "Candidatus Accumulibacter" species during anaerobic substrate uptake. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 250:121028. [PMID: 38128304 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.121028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid growing availability of metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) and associated metabolic models, the identification of metabolic potential in individual community members has become possible. However, the field still lacks an unbiassed systematic evaluation of the generated metagenomic information to uncover not only metabolic potential, but also feasibilities of these models under specific environmental conditions. In this study, we present a systematic analysis of the metabolic potential in species of "Candidatus Accumulibacter", a group of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs). We constructed a metabolic model of the central carbon metabolism and compared the metabolic potential among available MAGs for "Ca. Accumulibacter" species. By combining Elementary Flux Modes Analysis (EFMA) with max-min driving force (MDF) optimization, we obtained all possible flux distributions of the metabolic network and calculated their individual thermodynamic feasibility. Our findings reveal significant variations in the metabolic potential among "Ca. Accumulibacter" MAGs, particularly in the presence of anaplerotic reactions. EFMA revealed 700 unique flux distributions in the complete metabolic model that enable the anaerobic uptake of acetate and its conversion into polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a well-known phenotype of "Ca. Accumulibacter". However, thermodynamic constraints narrowed down this solution space to 146 models that were stoichiometrically and thermodynamically feasible (MDF > 0 kJ/mol), of which only 8 were strongly feasible (MDF > 7 kJ/mol). Notably, several novel flux distributions for the metabolic model were identified, suggesting putative, yet unreported, functions within the PAO communities. Overall, this work provides valuable insights into the metabolic variability among "Ca. Accumulibacter" species and redefines the anaerobic metabolic potential in the context of phosphate removal. More generally, the integrated workflow presented in this paper can be applied to any metabolic model obtained from a MAG generated from microbial communities to objectively narrow the expected phenotypes from community members.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Páez-Watson
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
| | | | - S Aljoscha Wahl
- Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Noor E, Liebermeister W. Optimal enzyme profiles in unbranched metabolic pathways. Interface Focus 2024; 14:20230029. [PMID: 38344407 PMCID: PMC10853694 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2023.0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
How to optimize the allocation of enzymes in metabolic pathways has been a topic of study for many decades. Although the general problem is complex and nonlinear, we have previously shown that it can be solved by convex optimization. In this paper, we focus on unbranched metabolic pathways with simplified enzymatic rate laws and derive analytic solutions to the optimization problem. We revisit existing solutions based on the limit of mass-action rate laws and present new solutions for other rate laws. Furthermore, we revisit a known relationship between flux control coefficients and enzyme abundances in optimal metabolic states. We generalize this relationship to models with density constraints on enzymes and metabolites, and present a new local relationship between optimal reaction elasticities and enzyme amounts. Finally, we apply our theory to derive simple kinetics-based formulae for protein allocation during bacterial growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elad Noor
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, Israel
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ducrot L, López IL, Orrego AH, López-Gallego F. Coenzyme A Thioester Intermediates as Platform Molecules in Cell-Free Chemical Biomanufacturing. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300673. [PMID: 37994376 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
The in vitro synthesis of Coenzyme A (CoA)-thioester intermediates opens new avenues to transform simple molecules into more complex and multifunctional ones by assembling cell-free biosynthetic cascades. In this review, we have systematically cataloged known CoA-dependent enzyme reactions that have been successfully implemented in vitro. To faciliate their identification, we provide their UniProt ID when available. Based on this catalog, we have organized enzymes into three modules: activation, modification, and removal. i) The activation module includes enzymes capable of fusing CoA with organic molecules. ii) The modification module includes enzymes capable of catalyzing chemical modifications in the structure of acyl-CoA intermediates. And iii) the removal module includes enzymes able to remove the CoA and release an organic molecule different from the one activated in the upstream. Based on these reactions, we constructed a reaction network that summarizes the most relevant CoA-dependent biosynthetic pathways reported until today. From the information available in the articles, we have plotted the total turnover number of CoA as a function of the product titer, observing a positive correlation between both parameters. Therefore, the success of a CoA-dependent in vitro pathway depends on its ability to regenerate CoA, but also to regenerate other cofactors such as NAD(P)H and ATP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurine Ducrot
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20014, Spain
| | - Idania L López
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20014, Spain
| | - Alejandro H Orrego
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20014, Spain
| | - Fernando López-Gallego
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20014, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009, Bilbao, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
McBride MJ, Hunter CJ, Zhang Z, TeSlaa T, Xu X, Ducker GS, Rabinowitz JD. Glycine homeostasis requires reverse SHMT flux. Cell Metab 2024; 36:103-115.e4. [PMID: 38171330 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The folate-dependent enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) reversibly converts serine into glycine and a tetrahydrofolate-bound one-carbon unit. Such one-carbon unit production plays a critical role in development, the immune system, and cancer. Using rodent models, here we show that the whole-body SHMT flux acts to net consume rather than produce glycine. Pharmacological inhibition of whole-body SHMT1/2 and genetic knockout of liver SHMT2 elevated circulating glycine levels up to eight-fold. Stable-isotope tracing revealed that the liver converts glycine to serine, which is then converted by serine dehydratase into pyruvate and burned in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In response to diets deficient in serine and glycine, de novo biosynthetic flux was unaltered, but SHMT2- and serine-dehydratase-mediated catabolic flux was lower. Thus, glucose-derived serine synthesis is largely insensitive to systemic demand. Instead, circulating serine and glycine homeostasis is maintained through variable consumption, with liver SHMT2 a major glycine-consuming enzyme.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J McBride
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Craig J Hunter
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Zhaoyue Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Tara TeSlaa
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Xincheng Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Gregory S Ducker
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Joshua D Rabinowitz
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kelly E, Petersen LH, Huggett D, Hala D. Reaction thermodynamics as a constraint on piscine steroidogenesis flux distributions. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 287:111533. [PMID: 37844836 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
While a considerable amount is known of the dynamics of piscine steroidogenesis during reproduction, the influence of thermodynamics constraints on its control has not been studied. In this manuscript, Gibbs free energy change of reactions was calculated for piscine steroidogenesis using the in silico eQuilibrator thermodynamics calculator. The analysis identified cytochrome P450 (cyp450) oxidoreductase reactions to have more negative Gibbs free energy changes relative to hydroxysteroid (HSD) and transferase reactions. In addition, a more favorable Gibbs free energy change was predicted for the Δ5 (cyp450 catalyzed) vs. Δ4 (HSD catalyzed) steroidogenesis branch-point, which converts pregnenolone to 17α-hydroxypregnenolone or progesterone respectively. Comparison of in silico predictions with in vivo experimentally measured flux across the Δ5 vs. Δ4 branch-point showed higher flux through the thermodynamically more favorable Δ5 pathway in reproducing or spawning vs. non-spawning fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). However, the exposure of fish to endocrine stressors such as hypoxia or the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), resulted in increased flux through both Δ5 and Δ4 pathways, indicating an adaptive response to increase steroidogenic redundancy. The correspondence of elevated flux through the Δ5 branch-point in spawning fish indicated the use of a thermodynamically favorable pathway to optimize steroid hormone productions during reproduction. We hypothesize that such selective use of a thermodynamically favorable steroidogenesis pathway may conserve reduced equivalents or transcriptional costs for investment to other biosynthetic or catabolic reactions to support reproduction. If generalizable, such an approach can provide novel insights into the structural principles and regulation of steroidogenesis or other metabolic pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Kelly
- Binghamton University, 4400 Vestal Parkway E, Binghamton, NY, USA; Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, TX, USA
| | - L H Petersen
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, TX, USA
| | - D Huggett
- University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - D Hala
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wu T, Gómez-Coronado PA, Kubis A, Lindner SN, Marlière P, Erb TJ, Bar-Even A, He H. Engineering a synthetic energy-efficient formaldehyde assimilation cycle in Escherichia coli. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8490. [PMID: 38123535 PMCID: PMC10733421 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44247-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
One-carbon (C1) substrates, such as methanol or formate, are attractive feedstocks for circular bioeconomy. These substrates are typically converted into formaldehyde, serving as the entry point into metabolism. Here, we design an erythrulose monophosphate (EuMP) cycle for formaldehyde assimilation, leveraging a promiscuous dihydroxyacetone phosphate dependent aldolase as key enzyme. In silico modeling reveals that the cycle is highly energy-efficient, holding the potential for high bioproduct yields. Dissecting the EuMP into four modules, we use a stepwise strategy to demonstrate in vivo feasibility of the modules in E. coli sensor strains with sarcosine as formaldehyde source. From adaptive laboratory evolution for module integration, we identify key mutations enabling the accommodation of the EuMP reactions with endogenous metabolism. Overall, our study demonstrates the proof-of-concept for a highly efficient, new-to-nature formaldehyde assimilation pathway, opening a way for the development of a methylotrophic platform for a C1-fueled bioeconomy in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biochemistry, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul A Gómez-Coronado
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Armin Kubis
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Steffen N Lindner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biochemistry, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philippe Marlière
- TESSSI, The European Syndicate of Synthetic Scientists and Industrialists, 81 rue Réaumur, 75002, Paris, France
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Arren Bar-Even
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Hai He
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Chowdhury NB, Pokorzynski N, Rucks EA, Ouellette SP, Carabeo RA, Saha R. Machine Learning and Metabolic Model Guided CRISPRi Reveals a Central Role for Phosphoglycerate Mutase in Chlamydia trachomatis Persistence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.18.572198. [PMID: 38187683 PMCID: PMC10769294 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.18.572198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Upon nutrient starvation, Chlamydia trachomatis serovar L2 (CTL) shifts from its normal growth to a non-replicating form, termed persistence. It is unclear if persistence is an adaptive response or lack of it. To understand that transcriptomics data were collected for nutrient-sufficient and nutrient-starved CTL. Applying machine learning approaches on transcriptomics data revealed a global transcriptomic rewiring of CTL under stress conditions without having any global stress regulator. This indicated that CTL's stress response is due to lack of an adaptive response mechanism. To investigate the impact of this on CTL metabolism, we reconstructed a genome-scale metabolic model of CTL (iCTL278) and contextualized it with the collected transcriptomics data. Using the metabolic bottleneck analysis on contextualized iCTL278, we observed phosphoglycerate mutase (pgm) regulates the entry of CTL to the persistence. Later, pgm was found to have the highest thermodynamics driving force and lowest enzymatic cost. Furthermore, CRISPRi-driven knockdown of pgm and tryptophan starvation experiments revealed the importance of this gene in inducing persistence. Hence, this work, for the first time, introduced thermodynamics and enzyme-cost as tools to gain deeper understanding on CTL persistence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Bahar Chowdhury
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68508, USA
| | - Nick Pokorzynski
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Rucks
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, USA
| | - Scot P. Ouellette
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, USA
| | - Rey A. Carabeo
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, USA
| | - Rajib Saha
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68508, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Chowdhury NB, Simons-Senftle M, Decouard B, Quillere I, Rigault M, Sajeevan KA, Acharya B, Chowdhury R, Hirel B, Dellagi A, Maranas C, Saha R. A multi-organ maize metabolic model connects temperature stress with energy production and reducing power generation. iScience 2023; 26:108400. [PMID: 38077131 PMCID: PMC10709110 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change has adversely affected maize productivity. Thereby, a holistic understanding of metabolic crosstalk among its organs is important to address this issue. Thus, we reconstructed the first multi-organ maize metabolic model, iZMA6517, and contextualized it with heat and cold stress transcriptomics data using expression distributed reaction flux measurement (EXTREAM) algorithm. Furthermore, implementing metabolic bottleneck analysis on contextualized models revealed differences between these stresses. While both stresses had reducing power bottlenecks, heat stress had additional energy generation bottlenecks. We also performed thermodynamic driving force analysis, revealing thermodynamics-reducing power-energy generation axis dictating the nature of temperature stress responses. Thus, a temperature-tolerant maize ideotype can be engineered by leveraging the proposed thermodynamics-reducing power-energy generation axis. We experimentally inoculated maize root with a beneficial mycorrhizal fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, and as a proof-of-concept demonstrated its efficacy in alleviating temperature stress. Overall, this study will guide the engineering effort of temperature stress-tolerant maize ideotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Bahar Chowdhury
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | | | - Berengere Decouard
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Isabelle Quillere
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Martine Rigault
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000 Versailles, France
| | | | - Bibek Acharya
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Ratul Chowdhury
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Bertrand Hirel
- Centre de Versailles-Grignon, Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, Versailles, France
| | - Alia Dellagi
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Costas Maranas
- Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Rajib Saha
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Olavarria K, Becker MV, Sousa DZ, van Loosdrecht MC, Wahl SA. Design and thermodynamic analysis of a pathway enabling anaerobic production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate in Escherichia coli. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2023; 8:629-639. [PMID: 37823039 PMCID: PMC10562921 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Utilizing anaerobic metabolisms for the production of biotechnologically relevant products presents potential advantages, such as increased yields and reduced energy dissipation. However, lower energy dissipation may indicate that certain reactions are operating closer to their thermodynamic equilibrium. While stoichiometric analyses and genetic modifications are frequently employed in metabolic engineering, the use of thermodynamic tools to evaluate the feasibility of planned interventions is less documented. In this study, we propose a novel metabolic engineering strategy to achieve an efficient anaerobic production of poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in the model organism Escherichia coli. Our approach involves re-routing of two-thirds of the glycolytic flux through non-oxidative glycolysis and coupling PHB synthesis with NADH re-oxidation. We complemented our stoichiometric analysis with various thermodynamic approaches to assess the feasibility and the bottlenecks in the proposed engineered pathway. According to our calculations, the main thermodynamic bottleneck are the reactions catalyzed by the acetoacetyl-CoA β-ketothiolase (EC 2.3.1.9) and the acetoacetyl-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.36). Furthermore, we calculated thermodynamically consistent sets of kinetic parameters to determine the enzyme amounts required for sustaining the conversion fluxes. In the case of the engineered conversion route, the protein pool necessary to sustain the desired fluxes could account for 20% of the whole cell dry weight.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karel Olavarria
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Stippenenweg 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Living Technologies, Eindhoven-Wageningen-Utrecht Alliance, Princetonlaan 6, 3584 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marco V. Becker
- Department of Biotechnology, Applied Sciences Faculty, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Diana Z. Sousa
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Stippenenweg 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Living Technologies, Eindhoven-Wageningen-Utrecht Alliance, Princetonlaan 6, 3584 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht
- Department of Biotechnology, Applied Sciences Faculty, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - S. Aljoscha Wahl
- Lehrstuhl für Bioverfahrenstechnik, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Paul-Gordan-Strasse 3, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Yang X, Mao Z, Huang J, Wang R, Dong H, Zhang Y, Ma H. Improving pathway prediction accuracy of constraints-based metabolic network models by treating enzymes as microcompartments. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2023; 8:597-605. [PMID: 37743907 PMCID: PMC10514394 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic network models have become increasingly precise and accurate as the most widespread and practical digital representations of living cells. The prediction functions were significantly expanded by integrating cellular resources and abiotic constraints in recent years. However, if unreasonable modeling methods were adopted due to a lack of consideration of biological knowledge, the conflicts between stoichiometric and other constraints, such as thermodynamic feasibility and enzyme resource availability, would lead to distorted predictions. In this work, we investigated a prediction anomaly of EcoETM, a constraints-based metabolic network model, and introduced the idea of enzyme compartmentalization into the analysis process. Through rational combination of reactions, we avoid the false prediction of pathway feasibility caused by the unrealistic assumption of free intermediate metabolites. This allowed us to correct the pathway structures of l-serine and l-tryptophan. A specific analysis explains the application method of the EcoETM-like model and demonstrates its potential and value in correcting the prediction results in pathway structure by resolving the conflict between different constraints and incorporating the evolved roles of enzymes as reaction compartments. Notably, this work also reveals the trade-off between product yield and thermodynamic feasibility. Our work is of great value for the structural improvement of constraints-based models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Zhitao Mao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jianfeng Huang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Ruoyu Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Huaming Dong
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
- School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, 430205, China
| | - Yanfei Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Hongwu Ma
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Wagner N, Wen L, Frazão CJR, Walther T. Next-generation feedstocks methanol and ethylene glycol and their potential in industrial biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 69:108276. [PMID: 37918546 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Microbial fermentation processes are expected to play an important role in reducing dependence on fossil-based raw materials for the production of everyday chemicals. In order to meet the growing demand for biotechnological products in the future, alternative carbon sources that do not compete with human nutrition must be exploited. The chemical conversion of the industrially emitted greenhouse gas CO2 into microbially utilizable platform chemicals such as methanol represents a sustainable strategy for the utilization of an abundant carbon source and has attracted enormous scientific interest in recent years. A relatively new approach is the microbial synthesis of products from the C2-compound ethylene glycol, which can also be synthesized from CO2 and non-edible biomass and, in addition, can be recovered from plastic waste. Here we summarize the main chemical routes for the synthesis of methanol and ethylene glycol from sustainable resources and give an overview of recent metabolic engineering work for establishing natural and synthetic microbial assimilation pathways. The different metabolic routes for C1 and C2 alcohol-dependent bioconversions were compared in terms of their theoretical maximum yields and their oxygen requirements for a wide range of value-added products. Assessment of the process engineering challenges for methanol and ethylene glycol-based fermentations underscores the theoretical advantages of new synthetic metabolic routes and advocates greater consideration of ethylene glycol, a C2 substrate that has received comparatively little attention to date.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nils Wagner
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Linxuan Wen
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Cláudio J R Frazão
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Thomas Walther
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Bergstraße 120, 01062 Dresden, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Liu Y, Chen L, Liu P, Yuan Q, Ma C, Wang W, Zhang C, Ma H, Zeng A. Design, Evaluation, and Implementation of Synthetic Isopentyldiol Pathways in Escherichia coli. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3381-3392. [PMID: 37870756 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Isopentyldiol (IPDO) is an important raw material in the cosmetic industry. So far, IPDO is exclusively produced through chemical synthesis. Growing interest in natural personal care products has inspired the quest to develop a biobased process. We previously reported a biosynthetic route that produces IPDO via extending the leucine catabolism (route A), the efficiency of which, however, is not satisfactory. To address this issue, we computationally designed a novel non-natural IPDO synthesis pathway (route B) using RetroPath RL, the state-of-the-art tool for bioretrosynthesis based on artificial intelligence methods. We compared this new pathway with route A and two other intuitively designed routes for IPDO biosynthesis from various perspectives. Route B, which exhibits the highest thermodynamic driving force, least non-native reaction steps, and lowest energy requirements, appeared to hold the greatest potential for IPDO production. All three newly designed routes were then implemented in the Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) strain. Results show that the computationally designed route B can produce 2.2 mg/L IPDO from glucose but no IPDO production from routes C and D. These results highlight the importance and usefulness of in silico design and comprehensive evaluation of the potential efficiencies of candidate pathways in constructing novel non-natural pathways for the production of biochemicals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongfei Liu
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestr. 15, Hamburg 21073, Germany
| | - Lin Chen
- Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestr. 15, Hamburg 21073, Germany
| | - Pi Liu
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Qianqian Yuan
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Chengwei Ma
- Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestr. 15, Hamburg 21073, Germany
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestr. 15, Hamburg 21073, Germany
| | - Chijian Zhang
- Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestr. 15, Hamburg 21073, Germany
- Hua An Tang Biotech Group Co., Ltd, Guangzhou 511434, China
| | - Hongwu Ma
- Biodesign Center, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - AnPing Zeng
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, Hamburg University of Technology, Denickestr. 15, Hamburg 21073, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sugimura M, Seike T, Okahashi N, Izumi Y, Bamba T, Ishii J, Matsuda F. Improved 2,3-Butanediol Production Rate of Metabolically Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Deletion of RIM15 and Activation of Pyruvate Consumption Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16378. [PMID: 38003568 PMCID: PMC10671664 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a promising host for the bioproduction of higher alcohols, such as 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO). Metabolically engineered S. cerevisiae strains that produce 2,3-BDO via glycolysis have been constructed. However, the specific 2,3-BDO production rates of engineered strains must be improved. To identify approaches to improving the 2,3-BDO production rate, we investigated the factors contributing to higher ethanol production rates in certain industrial strains of S. cerevisiae compared to laboratory strains. Sequence analysis of 11 industrial strains revealed the accumulation of many nonsynonymous substitutions in RIM15, a negative regulator of high fermentation capability. Comparative metabolome analysis suggested a positive correlation between the rate of ethanol production and the activity of the pyruvate-consuming pathway. Based on these findings, RIM15 was deleted, and the pyruvate-consuming pathway was activated in YHI030, a metabolically engineered S. cerevisiae strain that produces 2,3-BDO. The titer, specific production rate, and yield of 2,3-BDO in the test tube-scale culture using the YMS106 strain reached 66.4 ± 4.4 mM, 1.17 ± 0.017 mmol (g dry cell weight h)-1, and 0.70 ± 0.03 mol (mol glucose consumed)-1. These values were 2.14-, 2.92-, and 1.81-fold higher than those of the vector control, respectively. These results suggest that bioalcohol production via glycolysis can be enhanced in a metabolically engineered S. cerevisiae strain by deleting RIM15 and activating the pyruvate-consuming pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masahiko Sugimura
- Department of Bioinformatics Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
| | - Taisuke Seike
- Department of Bioinformatics Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Okahashi
- Department of Bioinformatics Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Izumi
- Division of Metabolomics/Mass Spectrometry Center, Medical Research Center for High Depth Omics, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Bamba
- Division of Metabolomics/Mass Spectrometry Center, Medical Research Center for High Depth Omics, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Jun Ishii
- Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Fumio Matsuda
- Department of Bioinformatics Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, 1-5 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bachleitner S, Ata Ö, Mattanovich D. The potential of CO 2-based production cycles in biotechnology to fight the climate crisis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6978. [PMID: 37914683 PMCID: PMC10620168 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42790-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Rising CO2 emissions have pushed scientists to develop new technologies for a more sustainable bio-based economy. Microbial conversion of CO2 and CO2-derived carbon substrates into valuable compounds can contribute to carbon neutrality and sustainability. Here, we discuss the potential of C1 carbon sources as raw materials to produce energy, materials, and food and feed using microbial cell factories. We provide an overview of potential microbes, natural and synthetic C1 utilization pathways, and compare their metabolic driving forces. Finally, we sketch a future in which C1 substrates replace traditional feedstocks and we evaluate the costs associated with such an endeavor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Bachleitner
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Vienna, 1190, Austria
| | - Özge Ata
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Vienna, 1190, Austria
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, 1190, Austria
| | - Diethard Mattanovich
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology and Microbial Biotechnology, Vienna, 1190, Austria.
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Vienna, 1190, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
van Niekerk DD, Rust E, Bruggeman F, Westerhoff HV, Snoep JL. Is distance from equilibrium a good indicator for a reaction's flux control? Biosystems 2023; 232:104988. [PMID: 37541333 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2023.104988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
By analysing a large set of models obtained from the JWS Online and Biomodels databases, we tested to what extent the disequilibrium ratio can be used as an estimator for the flux control of a reaction, a discussion point that was already raised by Kacser and Burns, and Heinrich and Rapoport in their seminal MCA manuscripts. Whereas no functional relation was observed, the disequilibrium ratio can be used as an estimator for the maximal flux control of a reaction step. We extended the original analysis of the relationship by incorporating the overall pathway disequilibrium ratio in the expression, which made it possible to make explicit expressions for flux control coefficients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Erik Rust
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
| | - Frank Bruggeman
- Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hans V Westerhoff
- Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands; School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Stellenbosch Institute of Advanced Studies (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Jacky L Snoep
- Department of Biochemistry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Molecular Cell Biology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Chen J, Huang Y, Zhong C. Minimizing enzyme mass to decompose flux distribution for identifying biologically relevant elementary flux modes. Biosystems 2023; 231:104981. [PMID: 37442363 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2023.104981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
The flux distribution in metabolic network can be decomposed as non-negative linear combinations of elementary flux modes (EFMs). Identifying biologically relevant EFM combination by decomposing flux distribution in metabolic network is a useful method to study metabolisms in systems biology. However, the occurrence of biologically irrelevant EFMs hinders the application of such methods. In this paper, we introduce a novel method for identifying EFM combination by minimizing enzyme mass. Our proposed method, called EMMD (Enzyme Mass Minimization Decomposition), takes into consideration both thermodynamic and enzymatic constraints in stoichiometry metabolic models. By implementing EMMD, we can decompose the flux distributions in metabolic network to detect biologically relevant EFM combinations. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by applying it to the core Escherichia coli metabolic network and show that the optimal EFM combinations identified by EMMD are unique. Moreover, the optimal EFM combination identified by EMMD not only aligns more closely with experimental values in terms of estimated growth rate, but it also demonstrates more favorable thermodynamics. Finally, we investigated the growth of the core Escherichia coli metabolic network in Luria-Bertani medium containing different carbon sources, revealing the impact of various carbon sources on the growth rate of flux distribution. EMMD thus could be a promising complement to the existing flux decomposition tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingning Chen
- School of Computer and Electronics Information, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Yiran Huang
- School of Computer and Electronics Information, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Multimedia Communications Network Technology, Nanning, 530004, China.
| | - Cheng Zhong
- School of Computer and Electronics Information, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Multimedia Communications Network Technology, Nanning, 530004, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bekiaris PS, Klamt S. Network-wide thermodynamic constraints shape NAD(P)H cofactor specificity of biochemical reactions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4660. [PMID: 37537166 PMCID: PMC10400544 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40297-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous coexistence of the redox cofactors NADH and NADPH is widely considered to facilitate an efficient operation of cellular redox metabolism. However, it remains unclear what shapes the NAD(P)H specificity of specific redox reactions. Here, we present a computational framework to analyze the effect of redox cofactor swaps on the maximal thermodynamic potential of a metabolic network and use it to investigate key aspects of redox cofactor redundancy in Escherichia coli. As one major result, our analysis suggests that evolved NAD(P)H specificities are largely shaped by metabolic network structure and associated thermodynamic constraints enabling thermodynamic driving forces that are close or even identical to the theoretical optimum and significantly higher compared to random specificities. Furthermore, while redundancy of NAD(P)H is clearly beneficial for thermodynamic driving forces, a third redox cofactor would require a low standard redox potential to be advantageous. Our approach also predicts trends of redox-cofactor concentration ratios and could facilitate the design of optimal redox cofactor specificities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Steffen Klamt
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, Sandtorstr. 1, Magdeburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Mori M, Cheng C, Taylor BR, Okano H, Hwa T. Functional decomposition of metabolism allows a system-level quantification of fluxes and protein allocation towards specific metabolic functions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4161. [PMID: 37443156 PMCID: PMC10345195 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39724-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the contribution of individual molecular components to complex cellular processes is a grand challenge in systems biology. Here we establish a general theoretical framework (Functional Decomposition of Metabolism, FDM) to quantify the contribution of every metabolic reaction to metabolic functions, e.g. the synthesis of biomass building blocks. FDM allowed for a detailed quantification of the energy and biosynthesis budget for growing Escherichia coli cells. Surprisingly, the ATP generated during the biosynthesis of building blocks from glucose almost balances the demand from protein synthesis, the largest energy expenditure known for growing cells. This leaves the bulk of the energy generated by fermentation and respiration unaccounted for, thus challenging the common notion that energy is a key growth-limiting resource. Moreover, FDM together with proteomics enables the quantification of enzymes contributing towards each metabolic function, allowing for a first-principle formulation of a coarse-grained model of global protein allocation based on the structure of the metabolic network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Mori
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Chuankai Cheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Brian R Taylor
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Okano
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Terence Hwa
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Arevalo Villa C, Marienhagen J, Noack S, Wahl SA. Achieving net zero CO 2 emission in the biobased production of reduced platform chemicals using defined co-feeding of methanol. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 82:102967. [PMID: 37441841 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.102967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Next-generation bioprocesses of a future bio-based economy will rely on a flexible mix of readily available feedstocks. Renewable energy can be used to generate sustainable CO2-derived substrates. Metabolic engineering already enables the functional implementation of different pathways for the assimilation of C1 substrates in various microorganisms. In addition to feedstocks, the benchmark for all future bioprocesses will be sustainability, including the avoidance of CO2 emissions. Here we review recent advances in the utilization of C1-compounds from different perspectives, considering both strain and bioprocess engineering technologies. In particular, we evaluate methanol as a co-feed for enabling the CO2 emission-free production of acetyl-CoA-derived compounds. The possible metabolic strategies are analyzed using stoichiometric modeling combined with thermodynamic analysis and prospects for industrial-scale implementation are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Arevalo Villa
- Lehrstuhl für Bioverfahrenstechnik, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Marienhagen
- Institute of Bio, and Geosciences (IBG-1): Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stephan Noack
- Institute of Bio, and Geosciences (IBG-1): Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Aljoscha Wahl
- Lehrstuhl für Bioverfahrenstechnik, Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-91052 Erlangen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Taha A, Patón M, Penas DR, Banga JR, Rodríguez J. Optimal evaluation of energy yield and driving force in microbial metabolic pathway variants. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011264. [PMID: 37410779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This work presents a methodology to evaluate the bioenergetic feasibility of alternative metabolic pathways for a given microbial conversion, optimising their energy yield and driving forces as a function of the concentration of metabolic intermediates. The tool, based on thermodynamic principles and multi-objective optimisation, accounts for pathway variants in terms of different electron carriers, as well as energy conservation (proton translocating) reactions within the pathway. The method also accommodates other constraints, some of them non-linear, such as the balance of conserved moieties. The approach involves the transformation of the maximum energy yield problem into a multi-objective mixed-integer linear optimisation problem which is then subsequently solved using the epsilon-constraint method, highlighting the trade-off between yield and rate in metabolic reactions. The methodology is applied to analyse several pathway alternatives occurring during propionate oxidation in anaerobic fermentation processes, as well as to the reverse TCA cycle pathway occurring during autotrophic microbial CO2 fixation. The results obtained using the developed methodology match previously reported literature and bring about insights into the studied pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Taha
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and H2 (RICH) Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mauricio Patón
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and H2 (RICH) Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - David R Penas
- Computational Biology Lab, MBG-CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - Julio R Banga
- Computational Biology Lab, MBG-CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
| | - Jorge Rodríguez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Research and Innovation Center on CO2 and H2 (RICH) Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Liu J, Zhang H, Xu Y, Meng H, Zeng AP. Turn air-captured CO 2 with methanol into amino acid and pyruvate in an ATP/NAD(P)H-free chemoenzymatic system. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2772. [PMID: 37188719 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38490-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of gaseous and air-captured CO2 for technical biosynthesis is highly desired, but elusive so far due to several obstacles including high energy (ATP, NADPH) demand, low thermodynamic driving force and limited biosynthesis rate. Here, we present an ATP and NAD(P)H-free chemoenzymatic system for amino acid and pyruvate biosynthesis by coupling methanol with CO2. It relies on a re-engineered glycine cleavage system with the NAD(P)H-dependent L protein replaced by biocompatible chemical reduction of protein H with dithiothreitol. The latter provides a higher thermodynamic driving force, determines the reaction direction, and avoids protein polymerization of the rate-limiting enzyme carboxylase. Engineering of H protein to effectively release the lipoamide arm from a protected state further enhanced the system performance, achieving the synthesis of glycine, serine and pyruvate at g/L level from methanol and air-captured CO2. This work opens up the door for biosynthesis of amino acids and derived products from air.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Liu
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Han Zhang
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yingying Xu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Meng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - An-Ping Zeng
- Center of Synthetic Biology and Integrated Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Nattermann M, Wenk S, Pfister P, He H, Lee SH, Szymanski W, Guntermann N, Zhu F, Nickel L, Wallner C, Zarzycki J, Paczia N, Gaißert N, Franciò G, Leitner W, Gonzalez R, Erb TJ. Engineering a new-to-nature cascade for phosphate-dependent formate to formaldehyde conversion in vitro and in vivo. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2682. [PMID: 37160875 PMCID: PMC10170137 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38072-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Formate can be envisioned at the core of a carbon-neutral bioeconomy, where it is produced from CO2 by (electro-)chemical means and converted into value-added products by enzymatic cascades or engineered microbes. A key step in expanding synthetic formate assimilation is its thermodynamically challenging reduction to formaldehyde. Here, we develop a two-enzyme route in which formate is activated to formyl phosphate and subsequently reduced to formaldehyde. Exploiting the promiscuity of acetate kinase and N-acetyl-γ-glutamyl phosphate reductase, we demonstrate this phosphate (Pi)-based route in vitro and in vivo. We further engineer a formyl phosphate reductase variant with improved formyl phosphate conversion in vivo by suppressing cross-talk with native metabolism and interface the Pi route with a recently developed formaldehyde assimilation pathway to enable C2 compound formation from formate as the sole carbon source in Escherichia coli. The Pi route therefore offers a potent tool in expanding the landscape of synthetic formate assimilation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maren Nattermann
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wenk
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Pascal Pfister
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hai He
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Seung Hwan Lee
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Witold Szymanski
- Institute of Translational Proteomics, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nils Guntermann
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Fayin Zhu
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Jan Zarzycki
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Paczia
- Core Facility for Metabolomics and Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Giancarlo Franciò
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Walter Leitner
- Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Ramon Gonzalez
- Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry & Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Marburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Partipilo M, Claassens NJ, Slotboom DJ. A Hitchhiker's Guide to Supplying Enzymatic Reducing Power into Synthetic Cells. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:947-962. [PMID: 37052416 PMCID: PMC10127272 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
The construction from scratch of synthetic cells by assembling molecular building blocks is unquestionably an ambitious goal from a scientific and technological point of view. To realize functional life-like systems, minimal enzymatic modules are required to sustain the processes underlying the out-of-equilibrium thermodynamic status hallmarking life, including the essential supply of energy in the form of electrons. The nicotinamide cofactors NAD(H) and NADP(H) are the main electron carriers fueling reductive redox reactions of the metabolic network of living cells. One way to ensure the continuous availability of reduced nicotinamide cofactors in a synthetic cell is to build a minimal enzymatic module that can oxidize an external electron donor and reduce NAD(P)+. In the diverse world of metabolism there is a plethora of potential electron donors and enzymes known from living organisms to provide reducing power to NAD(P)+ coenzymes. This perspective proposes guidelines to enable the reduction of nicotinamide cofactors enclosed in phospholipid vesicles, while avoiding high burdens of or cross-talk with other encapsulated metabolic modules. By determining key requirements, such as the feasibility of the reaction and transport of the electron donor into the cell-like compartment, we select a shortlist of potentially suitable electron donors. We review the most convenient proteins for the use of these reducing agents, highlighting their main biochemical and structural features. Noting that specificity toward either NAD(H) or NADP(H) imposes a limitation common to most of the analyzed enzymes, we discuss the need for specific enzymes─transhydrogenases─to overcome this potential bottleneck.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michele Partipilo
- Department
of Biochemistry, Groningen Institute of Biomolecular Sciences &
Biotechnology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nico J. Claassens
- Laboratory
of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk Jan Slotboom
- Department
of Biochemistry, Groningen Institute of Biomolecular Sciences &
Biotechnology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Breger JC, Vranish JN, Oh E, Stewart MH, Susumu K, Lasarte-Aragonés G, Ellis GA, Walper SA, Díaz SA, Hooe SL, Klein WP, Thakur M, Ancona MG, Medintz IL. Self assembling nanoparticle enzyme clusters provide access to substrate channeling in multienzymatic cascades. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1757. [PMID: 36990995 PMCID: PMC10060375 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37255-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Access to efficient enzymatic channeling is desired for improving all manner of designer biocatalysis. We demonstrate that enzymes constituting a multistep cascade can self-assemble with nanoparticle scaffolds into nanoclusters that access substrate channeling and improve catalytic flux by orders of magnitude. Utilizing saccharification and glycolytic enzymes with quantum dots (QDs) as a model system, nanoclustered-cascades incorporating from 4 to 10 enzymatic steps are prototyped. Along with confirming channeling using classical experiments, its efficiency is enhanced several fold more by optimizing enzymatic stoichiometry with numerical simulations, switching from spherical QDs to 2-D planar nanoplatelets, and by ordering the enzyme assembly. Detailed analyses characterize assembly formation and clarify structure-function properties. For extended cascades with unfavorable kinetics, channeled activity is maintained by splitting at a critical step, purifying end-product from the upstream sub-cascade, and feeding it as a concentrated substrate to the downstream sub-cascade. Generalized applicability is verified by extending to assemblies incorporating other hard and soft nanoparticles. Such self-assembled biocatalytic nanoclusters offer many benefits towards enabling minimalist cell-free synthetic biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joyce C Breger
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - James N Vranish
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Engineering, and Physics, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Steubenville, OH, 43952, USA
| | - Eunkeu Oh
- Optical Sciences Division, Code 5611, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - Michael H Stewart
- Optical Sciences Division, Code 5611, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - Kimihiro Susumu
- Optical Sciences Division, Code 5611, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - Guillermo Lasarte-Aragonés
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
- College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Gregory A Ellis
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - Scott A Walper
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - Sebastián A Díaz
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
| | - Shelby L Hooe
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
- National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 20001, USA
| | - William P Klein
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
- National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 20001, USA
| | - Meghna Thakur
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
- College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Mario G Ancona
- Electronic Science and Technology Division, Code 6800, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA
| | - Igor L Medintz
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Code 6900, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., 20375, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Lo J, Wu C, Humphreys JR, Yang B, Jiang Z, Wang X, Maness P, Tsesmetzis N, Xiong W. Thermodynamic and Kinetic Modeling Directs Pathway Optimization for Isopropanol Production in a Gas-Fermenting Bacterium. mSystems 2023; 8:e0127422. [PMID: 36971551 PMCID: PMC10134883 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01274-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly efficient bioproduction from gaseous substrates (e.g., hydrogen and carbon oxides) will require systematic optimization of the host microbes. To date, the rational redesign of gas-fermenting bacteria is still in its infancy, due in part to the lack of quantitative and precise metabolic knowledge that can direct strain engineering.
Collapse
|
35
|
Shebek KM, Strutz J, Broadbelt LJ, Tyo KEJ. Pickaxe: a Python library for the prediction of novel metabolic reactions. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:106. [PMID: 36949401 PMCID: PMC10031857 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05149-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biochemical reaction prediction tools leverage enzymatic promiscuity rules to generate reaction networks containing novel compounds and reactions. The resulting reaction networks can be used for multiple applications such as designing novel biosynthetic pathways and annotating untargeted metabolomics data. It is vital for these tools to provide a robust, user-friendly method to generate networks for a given application. However, existing tools lack the flexibility to easily generate networks that are tailor-fit for a user's application due to lack of exhaustive reaction rules, restriction to pre-computed networks, and difficulty in using the software due to lack of documentation. RESULTS Here we present Pickaxe, an open-source, flexible software that provides a user-friendly method to generate novel reaction networks. This software iteratively applies reaction rules to a set of metabolites to generate novel reactions. Users can select rules from the prepackaged JN1224min ruleset, derived from MetaCyc, or define their own custom rules. Additionally, filters are provided which allow for the pruning of a network on-the-fly based on compound and reaction properties. The filters include chemical similarity to target molecules, metabolomics, thermodynamics, and reaction feasibility filters. Example applications are given to highlight the capabilities of Pickaxe: the expansion of common biological databases with novel reactions, the generation of industrially useful chemicals from a yeast metabolome database, and the annotation of untargeted metabolomics peaks from an E. coli dataset. CONCLUSION Pickaxe predicts novel metabolic reactions and compounds, which can be used for a variety of applications. This software is open-source and available as part of the MINE Database python package ( https://pypi.org/project/minedatabase/ ) or on GitHub ( https://github.com/tyo-nu/MINE-Database ). Documentation and examples can be found on Read the Docs ( https://mine-database.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ ). Through its documentation, pre-packaged features, and customizable nature, Pickaxe allows users to generate novel reaction networks tailored to their application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Shebek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Jonathan Strutz
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Linda J Broadbelt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Keith E J Tyo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Masson HO, Borland D, Reilly J, Telleria A, Shrivastava S, Watson M, Bustillos L, Li Z, Capps L, Kellman BP, King ZA, Richelle A, Lewis NE, Robasky K. ImmCellFie: A user-friendly web-based platform to infer metabolic function from omics data. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102069. [PMID: 36853701 PMCID: PMC9898792 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding cellular metabolism is important across biotechnology and biomedical research and has critical implications in a broad range of normal and pathological conditions. Here, we introduce the user-friendly web-based platform ImmCellFie, which allows the comprehensive analysis of metabolic functions inferred from transcriptomic or proteomic data. We explain how to set up a run using publicly available omics data and how to visualize the results. The ImmCellFie algorithm pushes beyond conventional statistical enrichment and incorporates complex biological mechanisms to quantify cell activity. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Richelle et al. (2021).1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helen O Masson
- Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - David Borland
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Jason Reilly
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Adrian Telleria
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Shalki Shrivastava
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Matt Watson
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Luthfi Bustillos
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Zerong Li
- Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Laura Capps
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA
| | - Benjamin P Kellman
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Zachary A King
- Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Anne Richelle
- Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nathan E Lewis
- Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Kimberly Robasky
- Renaissance Computing Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, USA; Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel H0069ll, NC 27514, USA; School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Health and Informatics Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Wagner N, Bade F, Straube E, Rabe K, Frazão CJR, Walther T. In vivo implementation of a synthetic metabolic pathway for the carbon-conserving conversion of glycolaldehyde to acetyl-CoA. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1125544. [PMID: 36845174 PMCID: PMC9947464 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1125544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ethylene glycol (EG) derived from plastic waste or CO2 can serve as a substrate for microbial production of value-added chemicals. Assimilation of EG proceeds though the characteristic intermediate glycolaldehyde (GA). However, natural metabolic pathways for GA assimilation have low carbon efficiency when producing the metabolic precursor acetyl-CoA. In alternative, the reaction sequence catalyzed by EG dehydrogenase, d-arabinose 5-phosphate aldolase, d-arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase, d-ribulose 5-phosphate 3-epimerase (Rpe), d-xylulose 5-phosphate phosphoketolase, and phosphate acetyltransferase may enable the conversion of EG into acetyl-CoA without carbon loss. We investigated the metabolic requirements for in vivo function of this pathway in Escherichia coli by (over)expressing constituting enzymes in different combinations. Using 13C-tracer experiments, we first examined the conversion of EG to acetate via the synthetic reaction sequence and showed that, in addition to heterologous phosphoketolase, overexpression of all native enzymes except Rpe was required for the pathway to function. Since acetyl-CoA could not be reliably quantified by our LC/MS-method, the distribution of isotopologues in mevalonate, a stable metabolite that is exclusively derived from this intermediate, was used to probe the contribution of the synthetic pathway to biosynthesis of acetyl-CoA. We detected strong incorporation of 13C carbon derived from labeled GA in all intermediates of the synthetic pathway. In presence of unlabeled co-substrate glycerol, 12.4% of the mevalonate (and therefore acetyl-CoA) was derived from GA. The contribution of the synthetic pathway to acetyl-CoA production was further increased to 16.1% by the additional expression of the native phosphate acyltransferase enzyme. Finally, we demonstrated that conversion of EG to mevalonate was feasible albeit at currently extremely small yields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nils Wagner
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frederik Bade
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elly Straube
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kenny Rabe
- TU Dresden, Institute of Natural Materials Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Bierbaumer S, Nattermann M, Schulz L, Zschoche R, Erb TJ, Winkler CK, Tinzl M, Glueck SM. Enzymatic Conversion of CO 2: From Natural to Artificial Utilization. Chem Rev 2023; 123:5702-5754. [PMID: 36692850 PMCID: PMC10176493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Enzymatic carbon dioxide fixation is one of the most important metabolic reactions as it allows the capture of inorganic carbon from the atmosphere and its conversion into organic biomass. However, due to the often unfavorable thermodynamics and the difficulties associated with the utilization of CO2, a gaseous substrate that is found in comparatively low concentrations in the atmosphere, such reactions remain challenging for biotechnological applications. Nature has tackled these problems by evolution of dedicated CO2-fixing enzymes, i.e., carboxylases, and embedding them in complex metabolic pathways. Biotechnology employs such carboxylating and decarboxylating enzymes for the carboxylation of aromatic and aliphatic substrates either by embedding them into more complex reaction cascades or by shifting the reaction equilibrium via reaction engineering. This review aims to provide an overview of natural CO2-fixing enzymes and their mechanistic similarities. We also discuss biocatalytic applications of carboxylases and decarboxylases for the synthesis of valuable products and provide a separate summary of strategies to improve the efficiency of such processes. We briefly summarize natural CO2 fixation pathways, provide a roadmap for the design and implementation of artificial carbon fixation pathways, and highlight examples of biocatalytic cascades involving carboxylases. Additionally, we suggest that biochemical utilization of reduced CO2 derivates, such as formate or methanol, represents a suitable alternative to direct use of CO2 and provide several examples. Our discussion closes with a techno-economic perspective on enzymatic CO2 fixation and its potential to reduce CO2 emissions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Bierbaumer
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Heinrichstraße 28, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Maren Nattermann
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Luca Schulz
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Tobias J Erb
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Christoph K Winkler
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Heinrichstraße 28, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Matthias Tinzl
- Department of Biochemistry and Synthetic Metabolism, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Silvia M Glueck
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Heinrichstraße 28, 8010 Graz, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
McBride MJ, Hunter CJ, Rabinowitz JD. Glycine homeostasis requires reverse SHMT flux. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.11.523668. [PMID: 36711816 PMCID: PMC9882094 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.11.523668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The folate-dependent enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) reversibly converts serine into glycine and a tetrahydrofolate-bound one-carbon unit. Such one-carbon unit production plays a critical role in development, the immune system, and cancer. Here we show that the whole-body SHMT flux acts to net consume rather than produce glycine. Pharmacological inhibition of whole-body SHMT1/2 and genetic knockout of liver SHMT2 elevated circulating glycine levels up to eight-fold. Stable isotope tracing revealed that the liver converts glycine to serine, which is then converted by serine dehydratase into pyruvate and burned in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In response to diets deficient in serine and glycine, de novo biosynthetic flux was unaltered but SHMT2- and serine dehydratase-mediated catabolic flux was lower. Thus, glucose-derived serine synthesis does not respond to systemic demand. Instead, circulating serine and glycine homeostasis is maintained through variable consumption, with liver SHMT2 as a major glycine-consuming enzyme.
Collapse
|
40
|
Increasing the Thermodynamic Driving Force of the Phosphofructokinase Reaction in
Clostridium thermocellum. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0125822. [PMID: 36286488 PMCID: PMC9680637 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01258-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to control the distribution of thermodynamic driving force throughout a metabolic pathway is likely to be an important tool for metabolic engineering. The phosphofructokinase reaction is a key enzyme in Embden-Mayerhof-Parnas glycolysis and therefore improving the thermodynamic driving force of this reaction in
C. thermocellum
is believed to enable higher product titers.
Collapse
|
41
|
Wilken SE, Besançon M, Kratochvíl M, Foko Kuate CA, Trefois C, Gu W, Ebenhöh O. Interrogating the effect of enzyme kinetics on metabolism using differentiable constraint-based models. Metab Eng 2022; 74:72-82. [PMID: 36152931 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic models are typically characterized by a large number of parameters. Traditionally, metabolic control analysis is applied to differential equation-based models to investigate the sensitivity of predictions to parameters. A corresponding theory for constraint-based models is lacking, due to their formulation as optimization problems. Here, we show that optimal solutions of optimization problems can be efficiently differentiated using constrained optimization duality and implicit differentiation. We use this to calculate the sensitivities of predicted reaction fluxes and enzyme concentrations to turnover numbers in an enzyme-constrained metabolic model of Escherichia coli. The sensitivities quantitatively identify rate limiting enzymes and are mathematically precise, unlike current finite difference based approaches used for sensitivity analysis. Further, efficient differentiation of constraint-based models unlocks the ability to use gradient information for parameter estimation. We demonstrate this by improving, genome-wide, the state-of-the-art turnover number estimates for E. coli. Finally, we show that this technique can be generalized to arbitrarily complex models. By differentiating the optimal solution of a model incorporating both thermodynamic and kinetic rate equations, the effect of metabolite concentrations on biomass growth can be elucidated. We benchmark these metabolite sensitivities against a large experimental gene knockdown study, and find good alignment between the predicted sensitivities and in vivo metabolome changes. In sum, we demonstrate several applications of differentiating optimal solutions of constraint-based metabolic models, and show how it connects to classic metabolic control analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- St Elmo Wilken
- Institute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany; Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Mathieu Besançon
- Department for AI in Society, Science, and Technology, Zuse Institute Berlin, Takustraße 7, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Miroslav Kratochvíl
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Campus Belval, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Chilperic Armel Foko Kuate
- Institute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christophe Trefois
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Campus Belval, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Wei Gu
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Campus Belval, L-4367, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Oliver Ebenhöh
- Institute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany; Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Reconstruction and Analysis of Thermodynamically Constrained Models Reveal Metabolic Responses of a Deep-Sea Bacterium to Temperature Perturbations. mSystems 2022; 7:e0058822. [PMID: 35950761 PMCID: PMC9426432 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00588-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial acclimation to different temperature conditions can involve broad changes in cell composition and metabolic efficiency. A systems-level view of these metabolic responses in nonmesophilic organisms, however, is currently missing. In this study, thermodynamically constrained genome-scale models were applied to simulate the metabolic responses of a deep-sea psychrophilic bacterium, Shewanella psychrophila WP2, under suboptimal (4°C), optimal (15°C), and supraoptimal (20°C) growth temperatures. The models were calibrated with experimentally determined growth rates of WP2. Gibbs free energy change of reactions (ΔrG'), metabolic fluxes, and metabolite concentrations were predicted using random simulations to characterize temperature-dependent changes in the metabolism. The modeling revealed the highest metabolic efficiency at the optimal temperature, and it suggested distinct patterns of ATP production and consumption that could lead to lower metabolic efficiency under suboptimal or supraoptimal temperatures. The modeling also predicted rearrangement of fluxes through multiple metabolic pathways, including the glycolysis pathway, Entner-Doudoroff pathway, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and electron transport system, and these predictions were corroborated through comparisons to WP2 transcriptomes. Furthermore, predictions of metabolite concentrations revealed the potential conservation of reducing equivalents and ATP in the suboptimal temperature, consistent with experimental observations from other psychrophiles. Taken together, the WP2 models provided mechanistic insights into the metabolism of a psychrophile in response to different temperatures. IMPORTANCE Metabolic flexibility is a central component of any organism's ability to survive and adapt to changes in environmental conditions. This study represents the first application of thermodynamically constrained genome-scale models in simulating the metabolic responses of a deep-sea psychrophilic bacterium to various temperatures. The models predicted differences in metabolic efficiency that were attributed to changes in metabolic pathway utilization and metabolite concentration during growth under optimal and nonoptimal temperatures. Experimental growth measurements were used for model calibration, and temperature-dependent transcriptomic changes corroborated the model-predicted rearrangement of metabolic fluxes. Overall, this study highlights the utility of modeling approaches in studying the temperature-driven metabolic responses of an extremophilic organism.
Collapse
|
43
|
Hitomi K, Weng J, Ying BW. Contribution of the genomic and nutritional differentiation to the spatial distribution of bacterial colonies. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:948657. [PMID: 36081803 PMCID: PMC9448356 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.948657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Colony growth is a common phenomenon of structured populations dispersed in nature; nevertheless, studies on the spatial distribution of colonies are largely insufficient. Here, we performed a systematic survey to address the questions of whether and how the spatial distribution of colonies was influenced by the genome and environment. Six Escherichia coli strains carrying either the wild-type or reduced genomes and eight media of varied nutritional richness were used to evaluate the genomic and environmental impacts, respectively. The genome size and nutritional variation contributed to the mean size and total area but not the variation and shape of size distribution of the colonies formed within the identical space and of equivalent spatial density. The spatial analysis by means of the Voronoi diagram found that the Voronoi correlation remained nearly constant in common, in comparison to the Voronoi response decreasing in correlation to genome reduction and nutritional enrichment. Growth analysis at the single colony level revealed positive correlations of the relative growth rate to both the maximal colony size and the Voronoi area, regardless of the genomic and nutritional variety. This result indicated fast growth for the large space assigned and supported homeostasis in the Voronoi correlation. Taken together, the spatial distribution of colonies might benefit efficient clonal growth. Although the mechanisms remain unclear, the findings provide quantitative insights into the genomic and environmental contributions to the growth and distribution of spatially or geographically isolated populations.
Collapse
|
44
|
Janasch M, Crang N, Asplund-Samuelsson J, Sporre E, Bruch M, Gynnå A, Jahn M, Hudson EP. Thermodynamic limitations of PHB production from formate and fructose in Cupriavidus necator. Metab Eng 2022; 73:256-269. [PMID: 35987434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The chemolithotroph Cupriavidus necator H16 is known as a natural producer of the bioplastic-polymer PHB, as well as for its metabolic versatility to utilize different substrates, including formate as the sole carbon and energy source. Depending on the entry point of the substrate, this versatility requires adjustment of the thermodynamic landscape to maintain sufficiently high driving forces for biological processes. Here we employed a model of the core metabolism of C. necator H16 to analyze the thermodynamic driving forces and PHB yields from formate for different metabolic engineering strategies. For this, we enumerated elementary flux modes (EFMs) of the network and evaluated their PHB yields as well as thermodynamics via Max-min driving force (MDF) analysis and random sampling of driving forces. A heterologous ATP:citrate lyase reaction was predicted to increase driving force for producing acetyl-CoA. A heterologous phosphoketolase reaction was predicted to increase maximal PHB yields as well as driving forces. These enzymes were then verified experimentally to enhance PHB titers between 60 and 300% in select conditions. The EFM analysis also revealed that PHB production from formate may be limited by low driving forces through citrate lyase and aconitase, as well as cofactor balancing, and identified additional reactions associated with low and high PHB yield. Proteomics analysis of the engineered strains confirmed an increased abundance of aconitase and cofactor balancing. The findings of this study aid in understanding metabolic adaptation. Furthermore, the outlined approach will be useful in designing metabolic engineering strategies in other non-model bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Janasch
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden.
| | - Nick Crang
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden.
| | - Johannes Asplund-Samuelsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden
| | - Emil Sporre
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden
| | - Manuel Bruch
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden
| | - Arvid Gynnå
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden
| | - Michael Jahn
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden
| | - Elton P Hudson
- Science for Life Laboratory, School of Engineering Science in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, P-Box 1031, 171 21, Solna, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
King E, Cui Y, Aspacio D, Nicklen F, Zhang L, Maxel S, Luo R, Siegel JB, Aitchison E, Li H. Engineering Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas Glycolysis to Generate Noncanonical Reducing Power. ACS Catal 2022; 12:8582-8592. [PMID: 37622090 PMCID: PMC10449333 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c01837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Noncanonical cofactors such as nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN+) supplant the electron-transfer functionality of the natural cofactors, NAD(P)+, at a lower cost in cell-free biomanufacturing and enable orthogonal electron delivery in whole-cell metabolic engineering. Here, we redesign the high-flux Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) glycolytic pathway to generate NMN+-based reducing power, by engineering Streptococcus mutans glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Sm GapN) to utilize NMN+. Through iterative rounds of rational design, we discover the variant GapN Penta (P179K-F153S-S330R-I234E-G210Q) with high NMN+-dependent activity and GapN Ortho (P179K-F153S-S330R-I234E-G214E) with ~3.4 × 106-fold switch in cofactor specificity from its native cofactor NADP+ to NMN+. GapN Ortho is further demonstrated to function in Escherichia coli only in the presence of NMN+, enabling orthogonal control of glucose utilization. Molecular dynamics simulation and residue network connectivity analysis indicate that mutations altering cofactor specificity must be coordinated to maintain the appropriate degree of backbone flexibility to position the catalytic cysteine. These results provide a strategy to guide future designs of NMN+-dependent enzymes and establish the initial steps toward an orthogonal EMP pathway with biomanufacturing potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Youtian Cui
- Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Derek Aspacio
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Frances Nicklen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Linyue Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Sarah Maxel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Ray Luo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Justin B Siegel
- Department of Chemistry, Genome Center, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Erick Aitchison
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3900, United States
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Wachtel A, Rao R, Esposito M. Free-Energy Transduction in Chemical Reaction Networks: from Enzymes to Metabolism. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:024109. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0091035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide a rigorous definition of free-energy transduction and its efficiency in arbitrary---linear or nonlinear---open chemical reaction networks (CRNs) operating at steady state. Our method is based on the knowledge of the stoichiometric matrix and of the chemostatted species (i.e. the species maintained at constant concentration by the environment) to identify the fundamental currents and forces contributing to the entropy production. Transduction occurs when the current of a stoichiometrically balanced process is driven against its spontaneous direction (set by its force) thanks to other processes flowing along their spontaneous direction. In these regimes, open CRNs operate as thermodynamic machines. After exemplifying these general ideas using toy models, we analyze central energy metabolism. We relate the fundamental currents to metabolic pathways and discuss the efficiency with which they are able to transduce free energy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Artur Wachtel
- Yale University Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, United States of America
| | - Riccardo Rao
- Institute for Advanced Study, United States of America
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Strutz J, Shebek KM, Broadbelt LJ, Tyo KEJ. MINE 2.0: Enhanced biochemical coverage for peak identification in untargeted metabolomics. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:3484-3487. [PMID: 35595247 PMCID: PMC9237697 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Although advances in untargeted metabolomics have made it possible to gather data on thousands of cellular metabolites in parallel, identification of novel metabolites from these datasets remains challenging. To address this need, Metabolic in silico Network Expansions (MINEs) were developed. A MINE is an expansion of known biochemistry which can be used as a list of potential structures for unannotated metabolomics peaks. Here, we present MINE 2.0, which utilizes a new set of biochemical transformation rules that covers 93% of MetaCyc reactions (compared to 25% in MINE 1.0). This results in a 17-fold increase in database size and a 40% increase in MINE database compounds matching unannotated peaks from an untargeted metabolomics dataset. MINE 2.0 is thus a significant improvement to this community resource. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The MINE 2.0 website can be accessed at https://minedatabase.ci.northwestern.edu. The MINE 2.0 web API documentation can be accessed at https://mine-api.readthedocs.io/en/latest/. The data and code underlying this article are available in the MINE-2.0-Paper repository at https://github.com/tyo-nu/MINE-2.0-Paper. MINE 2.0 source code can be accessed at https://github.com/tyo-nu/MINE-Database (MINE construction), https://github.com/tyo-nu/MINE-Server (backend web API), and https://github.com/tyo-nu/MINE-app (web app). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Strutz
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Center of Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Kevin M Shebek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Center of Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Linda J Broadbelt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Center of Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Keith E J Tyo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Center of Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Iacometti C, Marx K, Hönick M, Biletskaia V, Schulz-Mirbach H, Dronsella B, Satanowski A, Delmas VA, Berger A, Dubois I, Bouzon M, Döring V, Noor E, Bar-Even A, Lindner SN. Activating Silent Glycolysis Bypasses in Escherichia coli. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9859643. [PMID: 37850128 PMCID: PMC10521649 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9859643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
All living organisms share similar reactions within their central metabolism to provide precursors for all essential building blocks and reducing power. To identify whether alternative metabolic routes of glycolysis can operate in E. coli, we complementarily employed in silico design, rational engineering, and adaptive laboratory evolution. First, we used a genome-scale model and identified two potential pathways within the metabolic network of this organism replacing canonical Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas (EMP) glycolysis to convert phosphosugars into organic acids. One of these glycolytic routes proceeds via methylglyoxal and the other via serine biosynthesis and degradation. Then, we implemented both pathways in E. coli strains harboring defective EMP glycolysis. Surprisingly, the pathway via methylglyoxal seemed to immediately operate in a triosephosphate isomerase deletion strain cultivated on glycerol. By contrast, in a phosphoglycerate kinase deletion strain, the overexpression of methylglyoxal synthase was necessary to restore growth of the strain. Furthermore, we engineered the "serine shunt" which converts 3-phosphoglycerate via serine biosynthesis and degradation to pyruvate, bypassing an enolase deletion. Finally, to explore which of these alternatives would emerge by natural selection, we performed an adaptive laboratory evolution study using an enolase deletion strain. Our experiments suggest that the evolved mutants use the serine shunt. Our study reveals the flexible repurposing of metabolic pathways to create new metabolite links and rewire central metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camillo Iacometti
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Katharina Marx
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Maria Hönick
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Viktoria Biletskaia
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Helena Schulz-Mirbach
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Beau Dronsella
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Ari Satanowski
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Valérie A. Delmas
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry-Courcouronne, France
| | - Anne Berger
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry-Courcouronne, France
| | - Ivan Dubois
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry-Courcouronne, France
| | - Madeleine Bouzon
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry-Courcouronne, France
| | - Volker Döring
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, Univ Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057 Evry-Courcouronne, France
| | - Elad Noor
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Arren Bar-Even
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Steffen N. Lindner
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Virchowweg 6, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Liebermeister W. Structural Thermokinetic Modelling. Metabolites 2022; 12:434. [PMID: 35629936 PMCID: PMC9144996 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12050434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To translate metabolic networks into dynamic models, the Structural Kinetic Modelling framework (SKM) assumes a given reference state and replaces the reaction elasticities in this state by random numbers. A new variant, called Structural Thermokinetic Modelling (STM), accounts for reversible reactions and thermodynamics. STM relies on a dependence schema in which some basic variables are sampled, fitted to data, or optimised, while all other variables can be easily computed. Correlated elasticities follow from enzyme saturation values and thermodynamic forces, which are physically independent. Probability distributions in the dependence schema define a model ensemble, which allows for probabilistic predictions even if data are scarce. STM highlights the importance of variabilities, dependencies, and covariances of biological variables. By varying network structure, fluxes, thermodynamic forces, regulation, or types of rate laws, the effects of these model features can be assessed. By choosing the basic variables, metabolic networks can be converted into kinetic models with consistent reversible rate laws. Metabolic control coefficients obtained from these models can tell us about metabolic dynamics, including responses and optimal adaptations to perturbations, enzyme synergies and metabolite correlations, as well as metabolic fluctuations arising from chemical noise. To showcase STM, I study metabolic control, metabolic fluctuations, and enzyme synergies, and how they are shaped by thermodynamic forces. Considering thermodynamics can improve predictions of flux control, enzyme synergies, correlated flux and metabolite variations, and the emergence and propagation of metabolic noise.
Collapse
|
50
|
Jabłońska J, Tawfik DS. Innovation and tinkering in the evolution of oxidases. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4310. [PMID: 35481655 PMCID: PMC9040561 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Although molecular oxygen is a relative newcomer to the biosphere, it has had a profound impact on metabolism. About 700 oxygen‐dependent enzymatic reactions are known, the vast majority of which emerged only after the appearance of oxygen in the biosphere, circa 3 billion years ago. Oxygen was a major driving force for evolutionary innovation—~60% of all known oxygen‐dependent enzyme families emerged as such; that is, the founding ancestor was an O2‐dependent enzyme. The other 40% seem to have diverged by tinkering from pre‐existing proteins whose function was not related to oxygen. Here, we focus on the latter. We describe transitions from various enzyme classes, as well as from non‐enzymatic proteins, and we explore these transitions in terms of catalytic chemistry, metabolism, and protein structure. These transitions vary from subtle ones, such as simply repurposing oxidoreductases by replacing an electron acceptor such as NAD by O2, to drastic changes in reaction mechanism, such as turning carboxylases and hydrolases into oxidases. The latter is more common and can occur with strikingly minor changes, for example, only one mutation in the active site. We further suggest that engineering enzymes to harness the extraordinary reactivity of oxygen may yield higher catabolic power and versatility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jagoda Jabłońska
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Dan S Tawfik
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| |
Collapse
|