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Sears RG, Lenaghan SC, Stewart CN. AI to enable plant cell metabolic engineering. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 29:126-129. [PMID: 37778886 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Plant metabolic engineering must take into consideration the heterogeneous cell types that play a role in metabolite production; cells do not participate equally. We posit that artificial intelligence (AI) developed for biomedical purposes can be applied to plant cell characterization to accelerate the development of metabolic engineering strategies in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G Sears
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA; Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Food Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA; Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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2
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Hunt H, Leape S, Sidhu JS, Ajmera I, Lynch JP, Ratcliffe RG, Sweetlove LJ. A role for fermentation in aerobic conditions as revealed by computational analysis of maize root metabolism during growth by cell elongation. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 116:1553-1570. [PMID: 37831626 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The root is a well-studied example of cell specialisation, yet little is known about the metabolism that supports the transport functions and growth of different root cell types. To address this, we used computational modelling to study metabolism in the elongation zone of a maize lateral root. A functional-structural model captured the cell-anatomical features of the root and modelled how they changed as the root elongated. From these data, we derived constraints for a flux balance analysis model that predicted metabolic fluxes of the 11 concentric rings of cells in the root. We discovered a distinct metabolic flux pattern in the cortical cell rings, endodermis and pericycle (but absent in the epidermis) that involved a high rate of glycolysis and production of the fermentation end-products lactate and ethanol. This aerobic fermentation was confirmed experimentally by metabolite analysis. The use of fermentation in the model was not obligatory but was the most efficient way to meet the specific demands for energy, reducing power and carbon skeletons of expanding cells. Cytosolic acidification was avoided in the fermentative mode due to the substantial consumption of protons by lipid synthesis. These results expand our understanding of fermentative metabolism beyond that of hypoxic niches and suggest that fermentation could play an important role in the metabolism of aerobic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary Hunt
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Stefan Leape
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Jagdeep Singh Sidhu
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Ishan Ajmera
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Jonathan P Lynch
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - R George Ratcliffe
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Lee J Sweetlove
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
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3
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Shi H, Ernst E, Heinzel N, McCorkle S, Rolletschek H, Borisjuk L, Ortleb S, Martienssen R, Shanklin J, Schwender J. Mechanisms of metabolic adaptation in the duckweed Lemna gibba: an integrated metabolic, transcriptomic and flux analysis. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:458. [PMID: 37789269 PMCID: PMC10546790 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04480-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duckweeds are small, rapidly growing aquatic flowering plants. Due to their ability for biomass production at high rates they represent promising candidates for biofuel feedstocks. Duckweeds are also excellent model organisms because they can be maintained in well-defined liquid media, usually reproduce asexually, and because genomic resources are becoming increasingly available. To demonstrate the utility of duckweed for integrated metabolic studies, we examined the metabolic adaptation of growing Lemna gibba cultures to different nutritional conditions. RESULTS To establish a framework for quantitative metabolic research in duckweeds we derived a central carbon metabolism network model of Lemna gibba based on its draft genome. Lemna gibba fronds were grown with nitrate or glutamine as nitrogen source. The two conditions were compared by quantification of growth kinetics, metabolite levels, transcript abundance, as well as by 13C-metabolic flux analysis. While growing with glutamine, the fronds grew 1.4 times faster and accumulated more protein and less cell wall components compared to plants grown on nitrate. Characterization of photomixotrophic growth by 13C-metabolic flux analysis showed that, under both metabolic growth conditions, the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and the oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway are highly active, creating a futile cycle with net ATP consumption. Depending on the nitrogen source, substantial reorganization of fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid cycle took place, leading to differential formation of the biosynthetic precursors of the Asp and Gln families of proteinogenic amino acids. Despite the substantial reorganization of fluxes around the tricarboxylic acid cycle, flux changes could largely not be associated with changes in transcripts. CONCLUSIONS Through integrated analysis of growth rate, biomass composition, metabolite levels, and metabolic flux, we show that Lemna gibba is an excellent system for quantitative metabolic studies in plants. Our study showed that Lemna gibba adjusts to different nitrogen sources by reorganizing central metabolism. The observed disconnect between gene expression regulation and metabolism underscores the importance of metabolic flux analysis as a tool in such studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Shi
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Evan Ernst
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Nicolas Heinzel
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, D-06466, Seeland OT Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Sean McCorkle
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Computational Science Initiative, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Hardy Rolletschek
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, D-06466, Seeland OT Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Ljudmilla Borisjuk
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, D-06466, Seeland OT Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Stefan Ortleb
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, D-06466, Seeland OT Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Robert Martienssen
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - John Shanklin
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Jorg Schwender
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA.
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4
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Daloso DDM, Morais EG, Oliveira E Silva KF, Williams TCR. Cell-type-specific metabolism in plants. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:1093-1114. [PMID: 36987968 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Every plant organ contains tens of different cell types, each with a specialized function. These functions are intrinsically associated with specific metabolic flux distributions that permit the synthesis of the ATP, reducing equivalents and biosynthetic precursors demanded by the cell. Investigating such cell-type-specific metabolism is complicated by the mosaic of different cells within each tissue combined with the relative scarcity of certain types. However, techniques for the isolation of specific cells, their analysis in situ by microscopy, or modeling of their function in silico have permitted insight into cell-type-specific metabolism. In this review we present some of the methods used in the analysis of cell-type-specific metabolism before describing what we know about metabolism in several cell types that have been studied in depth; (i) leaf source and sink cells; (ii) glandular trichomes that are capable of rapid synthesis of specialized metabolites; (iii) guard cells that must accumulate large quantities of the osmolytes needed for stomatal opening; (iv) cells of seeds involved in storage of reserves; and (v) the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells of C4 plants that participate in a CO2 concentrating cycle. Metabolism is discussed in terms of its principal features, connection to cell function and what factors affect the flux distribution. Demand for precursors and energy, availability of substrates and suppression of deleterious processes are identified as key factors in shaping cell-type-specific metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo de Menezes Daloso
- Lab Plant, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CA, 60451-970, Brazil
| | - Eva Gomes Morais
- Lab Plant, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CA, 60451-970, Brazil
| | - Karen Fernanda Oliveira E Silva
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Asa Norte, Brasília-DF, 70910-900, Brazil
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5
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Smith EN, Ratcliffe RG, Kruger NJ. Isotopically non-stationary metabolic flux analysis of heterotrophic Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1049559. [PMID: 36699846 PMCID: PMC9868915 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1049559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fluxes are the ultimate phenotype of metabolism and their accurate quantification is fundamental to any understanding of metabolic networks. Steady state metabolic flux analysis has been the method of choice for quantifying fluxes in heterotrophic cells, but it is unable to measure fluxes during short-lived metabolic states, such as a transient oxidative load. Isotopically non-stationary metabolic flux analysis (INST-MFA) can be performed over shorter timescales (minutes - hours) and might overcome this limitation. INST-MFA has recently been applied to photosynthesising leaves, but agriculturally important tissues such as roots and storage organs, or plants during the night are heterotrophic. Here we outline the application of INST-MFA to heterotrophic plant cells. Using INST-MFA we were able to identify changes in the fluxes supported by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and malic enzyme under oxidative load, highlighting the potential of INST-MFA to measure fluxes during short-lived metabolic states. We discuss the challenges in applying INST-MFA, and highlight further development required before it can be routinely used to quantify fluxes in heterotrophic plant cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward N. Smith
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Molecular Systems Biology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - R. George Ratcliffe
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. Kruger
- Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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6
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Skirycz A, Fernie AR. Past accomplishments and future challenges of the multi-omics characterization of leaf growth. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 189:473-489. [PMID: 35325227 PMCID: PMC9157134 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The advent of omics technologies has revolutionized biology and advanced our understanding of all biological processes, including major developmental transitions in plants and animals. Here, we review the vast knowledge accumulated concerning leaf growth in terms of transcriptional regulation before turning our attention to the historically less well-characterized alterations at the protein and metabolite level. We will then discuss how the advent of biochemical methods coupled with metabolomics and proteomics can provide insight into the protein-protein and protein-metabolite interactome of the growing leaves. We finally highlight the substantial challenges in detection, spatial resolution, integration, and functional validation of the omics results, focusing on metabolomics as a prerequisite for a comprehensive understanding of small-molecule regulation of plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Skirycz
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany
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7
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Kruger NJ, Ratcliffe RG. Whither metabolic flux analysis in plants? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:7653-7657. [PMID: 34431503 PMCID: PMC8664579 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Kruger
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
- Correspondence: or
| | - R George Ratcliffe
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
- Correspondence: or
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8
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Garagounis C, Delkis N, Papadopoulou KK. Unraveling the roles of plant specialized metabolites: using synthetic biology to design molecular biosensors. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:1338-1352. [PMID: 33997999 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Plants are a rich source of specialized metabolites with a broad range of bioactivities and many applications in human daily life. Over the past decades significant progress has been made in identifying many such metabolites in different plant species and in elucidating their biosynthetic pathways. However, the biological roles of plant specialized metabolites remain elusive and proposed functions lack an identified underlying molecular mechanism. Understanding the roles of specialized metabolites frequently is hampered by their dynamic production and their specific spatiotemporal accumulation within plant tissues and organs throughout a plant's life cycle. In this review, we propose the employment of strategies from the field of Synthetic Biology to construct and optimize genetically encoded biosensors that can detect individual specialized metabolites in a standardized and high-throughput manner. This will help determine the precise localization of specialized metabolites at the tissue and single-cell levels. Such information will be useful in developing complete system-level models of specialized plant metabolism, which ultimately will demonstrate how the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites is integrated with the core processes of plant growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantine Garagounis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Plant and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Thessaly, Larissa, 41500, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Delkis
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Plant and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Thessaly, Larissa, 41500, Greece
| | - Kalliope K Papadopoulou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Plant and Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Thessaly, Larissa, 41500, Greece
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9
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Wang W, Yuan J, Jiang C. Applications of nanobodies in plant science and biotechnology. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 105:43-53. [PMID: 33037986 PMCID: PMC7547553 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-020-01082-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Present review summarizes the current applications of nanobodies in plant science and biotechnology, including plant expression of nanobodies, plant biotechnological applications, nanobody-based immunodetection, and nanobody-mediated resistance against plant pathogens. Nanobodies (Nbs) are variable domains of heavy chain-only antibodies (HCAbs) isolated from camelids. In spite of their single domain structure, nanobodies display many unique features, such as small size, high stability, and cryptic epitopes accessibility, which make them ideal for sophisticated applications in plants and animals. In this review, we summarize the current applications of nanobodies in plant science and biotechnology, focusing on nanobody expression in plants, plant biotechnological applications, determination of plant toxins and pathogens, and nanobody-mediated resistance against plant pathogens. Prospects and challenges of nanobody applications in plants are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyi Wang
- Institute for Medical Biology and Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plants in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Precision Medicine R&D Center, Zhuhai Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China.
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
| | - Jumao Yuan
- Precision Medicine R&D Center, Zhuhai Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Changan Jiang
- Precision Medicine R&D Center, Zhuhai Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
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10
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Daloso DDM, Williams TCR. Current Challenges in Plant Systems Biology. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1346:155-170. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-80352-0_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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11
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Intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis Exploits Multiple Host Nitrogen Sources during Growth in Human Macrophages. Cell Rep 2020; 29:3580-3591.e4. [PMID: 31825837 PMCID: PMC6915324 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen metabolism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is crucial for the survival of this important pathogen in its primary human host cell, the macrophage, but little is known about the source(s) and their assimilation within this intracellular niche. Here, we have developed 15N-flux spectral ratio analysis (15N-FSRA) to explore Mtb’s nitrogen metabolism; we demonstrate that intracellular Mtb has access to multiple amino acids in the macrophage, including glutamate, glutamine, aspartate, alanine, glycine, and valine; and we identify glutamine as the predominant nitrogen donor. Each nitrogen source is uniquely assimilated into specific amino acid pools, indicating compartmentalized metabolism during intracellular growth. We have discovered that serine is not available to intracellular Mtb, and we show that a serine auxotroph is attenuated in macrophages. This work provides a systems-based tool for exploring the nitrogen metabolism of intracellular pathogens and highlights the enzyme phosphoserine transaminase as an attractive target for the development of novel anti-tuberculosis therapies. Mycobacterium tuberculosis utilizes multiple amino acids as nitrogen sources in human macrophages 15N-FSRA tool identified the intracellular nitrogen sources Glutamine is the predominant nitrogen donor for M. tuberculosis Serine biosynthesis is essential for the survival of intracellular M. tuberculosis
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Correa SM, Alseekh S, Atehortúa L, Brotman Y, Ríos-Estepa R, Fernie AR, Nikoloski Z. Model-assisted identification of metabolic engineering strategies for Jatropha curcas lipid pathways. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 104:76-95. [PMID: 33001507 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Efficient approaches to increase plant lipid production are necessary to meet current industrial demands for this important resource. While Jatropha curcas cell culture can be used for in vitro lipid production, scaling up the system for industrial applications requires an understanding of how growth conditions affect lipid metabolism and yield. Here we present a bottom-up metabolic reconstruction of J. curcas supported with labeling experiments and biomass characterization under three growth conditions. We show that the metabolic model can accurately predict growth and distribution of fluxes in cell cultures and use these findings to pinpoint energy expenditures that affect lipid biosynthesis and metabolism. In addition, by using constraint-based modeling approaches we identify network reactions whose joint manipulation optimizes lipid production. The proposed model and computational analyses provide a stepping stone for future rational optimization of other agronomically relevant traits in J. curcas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Correa
- Genetics of Metabolic Traits Group, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
- Grupo de Biotecnología, Departamento de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Saleh Alseekh
- Central Metabolism Group, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
- Centre for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, 4000, Bulgaria
| | - Lucía Atehortúa
- Grupo de Biotecnología, Departamento de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Yariv Brotman
- Genetics of Metabolic Traits Group, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 8410501, Israel
| | - Rigoberto Ríos-Estepa
- Grupo de Bioprocesos, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Central Metabolism Group, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
- Centre for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, 4000, Bulgaria
| | - Zoran Nikoloski
- Centre for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, 4000, Bulgaria
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
- Systems Biology and Mathematical Modelling Group, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, 14476, Germany
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13
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Correa SM, Fernie AR, Nikoloski Z, Brotman Y. Towards model-driven characterization and manipulation of plant lipid metabolism. Prog Lipid Res 2020; 80:101051. [PMID: 32640289 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2020.101051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Plant lipids have versatile applications and provide essential fatty acids in human diet. Therefore, there has been a growing interest to better characterize the genetic basis, regulatory networks, and metabolic pathways that shape lipid quantity and composition. Addressing these issues is challenging due to context-specificity of lipid metabolism integrating environmental, developmental, and tissue-specific cues. Here we systematically review the known metabolic pathways and regulatory interactions that modulate the levels of storage lipids in oilseeds. We argue that the current understanding of lipid metabolism provides the basis for its study in the context of genome-wide plant metabolic networks with the help of approaches from constraint-based modeling and metabolic flux analysis. The focus is on providing a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art of modeling plant lipid metabolic pathways, which we then contrast with the existing modeling efforts in yeast and microalgae. We then point out the gaps in knowledge of lipid metabolism, and enumerate the recent advances of using genome-wide association and quantitative trait loci mapping studies to unravel the genetic regulations of lipid metabolism. Finally, we offer a perspective on how advances in the constraint-based modeling framework can propel further characterization of plant lipid metabolism and its rational manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Correa
- Genetics of Metabolic Traits Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam 14476, Germany; Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501 Beer-Sheva, Israel; Departamento de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia.
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Central Metabolism Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam 14476, Germany; Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Zoran Nikoloski
- Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany; Systems Biology and Mathematical Modelling Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm 14476, Germany.
| | - Yariv Brotman
- Genetics of Metabolic Traits Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam 14476, Germany; Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501 Beer-Sheva, Israel
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14
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Clark TJ, Guo L, Morgan J, Schwender J. Modeling Plant Metabolism: From Network Reconstruction to Mechanistic Models. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 71:303-326. [PMID: 32017600 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-050718-100221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mathematical modeling of plant metabolism enables the plant science community to understand the organization of plant metabolism, obtain quantitative insights into metabolic functions, and derive engineering strategies for manipulation of metabolism. Among the various modeling approaches, metabolic pathway analysis can dissect the basic functional modes of subsections of core metabolism, such as photorespiration, and reveal how classical definitions of metabolic pathways have overlapping functionality. In the many studies using constraint-based modeling in plants, numerous computational tools are currently available to analyze large-scale and genome-scale metabolic networks. For 13C-metabolic flux analysis, principles of isotopic steady state have been used to study heterotrophic plant tissues, while nonstationary isotope labeling approaches are amenable to the study of photoautotrophic and secondary metabolism. Enzyme kinetic models explore pathways in mechanistic detail, and we discuss different approaches to determine or estimate kinetic parameters. In this review, we describe recent advances and challenges in modeling plant metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa J Clark
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA; ,
| | - Longyun Guo
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; ,
| | - John Morgan
- Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA; ,
| | - Jorg Schwender
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA; ,
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15
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Allen DK, Young JD. Tracing metabolic flux through time and space with isotope labeling experiments. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2019; 64:92-100. [PMID: 31864070 PMCID: PMC7302994 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Metabolism is dynamic and must function in context-specific ways to adjust to changes in the surrounding cellular and ecological environment. When isotopic tracers are used, metabolite flow (i.e. metabolic flux) can be quantified through biochemical networks to assess metabolic pathway operation. The cellular activities considered across multiple tissues and organs result in the observed phenotype and can be analyzed to discover emergent, whole-system properties of biology and elucidate misconceptions about network operation. However, temporal and spatial challenges remain significant hurdles and require novel approaches and creative solutions. We survey current investigations in higher plant and animal systems focused on dynamic isotope labeling experiments, spatially resolved measurement strategies, and observations from re-analysis of our own studies that suggest prospects for future work. Related discoveries will be necessary to push the frontier of our understanding of metabolism to suggest novel solutions to cure disease and feed a growing future world population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug K Allen
- United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Plant Genetics Research Unit, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, United States; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132, United States.
| | - Jamey D Young
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, PMB 351604, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235, United States; Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, PMB 351604, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235, United States.
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Moreira TB, Shaw R, Luo X, Ganguly O, Kim HS, Coelho LGF, Cheung CYM, Rhys Williams TC. A Genome-Scale Metabolic Model of Soybean ( Glycine max) Highlights Metabolic Fluxes in Seedlings. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 180:1912-1929. [PMID: 31171578 PMCID: PMC6670085 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Until they become photoautotrophic juvenile plants, seedlings depend upon the reserves stored in seed tissues. These reserves must be mobilized and metabolized, and their breakdown products must be distributed to the different organs of the growing seedling. Here, we investigated the mobilization of soybean (Glycine max) seed reserves during seedling growth by initially constructing a genome-scale stoichiometric model for this important crop plant and then adapting the model to reflect metabolism in the cotyledons and hypocotyl/root axis (HRA). A detailed analysis of seedling growth and alterations in biomass composition was performed over 4 d of postgerminative growth and used to constrain the stoichiometric model. Flux balance analysis revealed marked differences in metabolism between the two organs, together with shifts in primary metabolism occurring during different periods postgermination. In particular, from 48 h onward, cotyledons were characterized by the oxidation of fatty acids to supply carbon for the tricarboxylic acid cycle as well as production of sucrose and glutamate for export to the HRA, while the HRA was characterized by the use of a range of imported amino acids in protein synthesis and catabolic processes. Overall, the use of flux balance modeling provided new insight into well-characterized metabolic processes in an important crop plant due to their analysis within the context of a metabolic network and reinforces the relevance of the application of this technique to the analysis of complex plant metabolic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Batista Moreira
- Departament of Botany, University of Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, Brazil, 70910-900
| | - Rahul Shaw
- Division of Science, Yale-National University of Singapore College, Singapore, 138527
| | - Xinyu Luo
- Division of Science, Yale-National University of Singapore College, Singapore, 138527
| | - Oishik Ganguly
- Division of Science, Yale-National University of Singapore College, Singapore, 138527
| | - Hyung-Seok Kim
- Division of Science, Yale-National University of Singapore College, Singapore, 138527
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Muir A, Danai LV, Vander Heiden MG. Microenvironmental regulation of cancer cell metabolism: implications for experimental design and translational studies. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm035758. [PMID: 30104199 PMCID: PMC6124553 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.035758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers have an altered metabolism, and there is interest in understanding precisely how oncogenic transformation alters cellular metabolism and how these metabolic alterations can translate into therapeutic opportunities. Researchers are developing increasingly powerful experimental techniques to study cellular metabolism, and these techniques have allowed for the analysis of cancer cell metabolism, both in tumors and in ex vivo cancer models. These analyses show that, while factors intrinsic to cancer cells such as oncogenic mutations, alter cellular metabolism, cell-extrinsic microenvironmental factors also substantially contribute to the metabolic phenotype of cancer cells. These findings highlight that microenvironmental factors within the tumor, such as nutrient availability, physical properties of the extracellular matrix, and interactions with stromal cells, can influence the metabolic phenotype of cancer cells and might ultimately dictate the response to metabolically targeted therapies. In an effort to better understand and target cancer metabolism, this Review focuses on the experimental evidence that microenvironmental factors regulate tumor metabolism, and on the implications of these findings for choosing appropriate model systems and experimental approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Muir
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Laura V Danai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Matthew G Vander Heiden
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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