Simulation of a Petri net-based Model of the Terpenoid Biosynthesis Pathway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The development and simulation of dynamic models of terpenoid biosynthesis has yielded a systems perspective that provides new insights into how the structure of this biochemical pathway affects compound synthesis. These insights may eventually help identify reactions that could be experimentally manipulated to amplify terpenoid production. In this study, a dynamic model of the terpenoid biosynthesis pathway was constructed based on the Hybrid Functional Petri Net (HFPN) technique. This technique is a fusion of three other extended Petri net techniques, namely Hybrid Petri Net (HPN), Dynamic Petri Net (HDN) and Functional Petri Net (FPN).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The biological data needed to construct the terpenoid metabolic model were gathered from the literature and from biological databases. These data were used as building blocks to create an HFPNe model and to generate parameters that govern the global behaviour of the model. The dynamic model was simulated and validated against known experimental data obtained from extensive literature searches. The model successfully simulated metabolite concentration changes over time (pt) and the observations correlated with known data. Interactions between the intermediates that affect the production of terpenes could be observed through the introduction of inhibitors that established feedback loops within and crosstalk between the pathways.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although this metabolic model is only preliminary, it will provide a platform for analysing various high-throughput data, and it should lead to a more holistic understanding of terpenoid biosynthesis.</p

Communication between mycorrhizal fungi and poplar

Flüchtige organische Verbindungen (volatile organic compounds, VOCs) haben vielseitige Funktionen in der Biosphäre und Atmosphäre. VOCs sind an ober- und unterirdischen Interaktionen beteiligt. Zum Beispiel können von Mikroorganismen emittierte VOCs das Pflanzenwachstum beeinflussen und von Pflanzen emittierte VOCs sich auf das Verhalten von Pathogenen und Herbivoren auswirken. Nur wenig ist über die Rolle von VOCs in der Kommunikation von Ektomykorrhizapilzen (EMF) mit ihren Wirtspflanzen bekannt. EMF gehen Symbiosen mit Baumarten wie Pappeln (Populus spp.) ein. Pappeln sind als Biomasseproduzenten von großer ökonomischer Bedeutung, emittieren jedoch eine hohe Konzentration des klima-relevanten VOCs Isopren in die Atmosphäre. Die Rolle von Isopren in biotischen Interaktionen von Pappeln mit Herbivoren ist unklar. Zudem ist es wichtig zu verstehen wie EMF-Inokulation den Metabolismus von Pappeln und dadurch deren oberirdische Interaktion beeinflussen. Hauptziel dieser Arbeit war es, die Kommunikation durch VOCs zwischen Pflanzen und Pilzen zu untersuchen. Zu diesem Zweck wurden die Modellarten Laccaria bicolor und Populus × canescens verwendet. Um die Spezifität von VOC-Mustern sowie Pflanzen-Reaktionen zu untersuchen, wurden einige andere EMF und nicht-Mykorrhiza bildende Pilze getestet sowie die Nicht-Wirtspflanze Arabidopsis verwendet. Um die Bedeutung von Isopren oder EMF auf oberirdische Herbivorie zu untersuchen, wurde die Präferenz des Pappelblattkäfers (Chrysomela populi) und des Weidenblattkäfers (Phrotara vitellinae) für nicht-Isopren emittierende Pappeln überprüft. Insbesondere wurden folgende Fragestellungen untersucht: i) Können EMF und Pilze anderer Lebensweisen aufgrund ihrer VOC-Emissions-Muster voneinander unterschieden werden? ii) Sind pilzliche VOCs an der Erkennung von EMF durch Pappel und Arabidopsis beteiligt und wenn dies zutrifft, welche Verbindungen der Volatilen-Mischung sind an der Reaktion beteiligt? iii) Ist die Isopren-Emission von Pappeln für die Orientierung von Pappelblattkäfern von Bedeutung? iv) Beeinflusst eine Inokulation von Pappeln mit EMF die Abwehr gegen den Pappelblattkäfer C. populi und wenn, welche Transkriptionsveränderungen in den Blättern von EMF-inokulierten im Vergleich zu nicht-inokulierten Pflanzen sind an dieser Reaktion beteiligt? Untersuchungen über Mykorrhiza-Interaktion mit Pappeln erfordern kontrollierte Kultivierungs-Systeme. Daher werden detaillierte Protokolle für die Anzucht von Pappelarten mit und ohne EMF unter axenischen und Freiland-Bedingungen angegeben. Zur Untersuchung der Interaktion zwischen Pappeln und EMF werden zwei-geteilte Wachstumssysteme für die Kultivierung der Pflanzen ohne direkten Kontakt zu EMF beschrieben. i) Um die Spezifität und Gemeinsamkeiten von VOCs von EMF und anderen, nicht-Mykorrhiza bildenden Pilzen zu untersuchen, wurden VOC-Muster von Pilzen verschiedener Lebenssweisen verglichen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die VOC-Emissionen der drei EMF Cenococcum geophilum, L. bicolor und Paxillus involutus (Stämme MAJ und NAU), der drei Pathogene Armillaria mellea, Pholiota squarrosa und Verticillium longisporum sowie der zwei Saprophyten Stropharia rugosoannulata und Trichoderma viride im Gasraum der Kulturen gesammelt. Die Pilze wurden in Petrischalen auf einem synthetischen Medium, welches eine geringe eigene VOC-Emission aufwies, angezogen. Alle VOCs, welche in Kontrollschalen ohne Pilz gemessen wurden, wurden aus dem Datensatz entfernt. Nach Entfernung dieser 40 Hintergrund-VOCs der Kontrollplatten verblieben 54 Pilz-VOCs. Die untersuchten Pilze unterschieden sich stark in ihrem VOC-Emissions-Profil. Nur 15 VOCs wurden bei allen Lebensweisen identifiziert; darunter die typische Pilz-VOC 1-octen-3-ol. Fünfzehn VOCs wurden zuvor noch nicht bei Pilzen gemessen und einige VOCs wurden nur bei einem Pilz oder einer Lebensweise gefunden. Insbesondere die Emission der Sesquiterpene (SQTs) unterschied sich stark zwischen den Pilzen. Multivariate Analysen der VOC-Profile gruppierte die Pilzarten nach ihren Lebensweisen. ii) Zur Ermittlung, ob Pilz-VOCs wichtige Signalstoffe für Pflanzen sind, unabhängig von ihrer Fähigkeit eine Mykorrhiza bilden zu können, wurden die Wirtspflanze P. × canescens und die Nicht-Wirtspflanze A. thaliana VOCs der EMF L. bicolor und C. geophilum ausgesetzt. Pflanzen und Pilze wurden in einem geschlossenen System mit zwei separaten Kompartimenten und gemeinsamem Gasraum kultiviert. Sammeln der Pilz-VOC-Emissionen in den Kontrollplatten mit den Pflanzen zeigte, dass Arabidopsis nur wenige VOCs emittierte, wohingegen sowohl in den Kulturen von L. bicolor als auch in der gemeinsamen Kultur von L. bicolor mit Pflanzen vor allem SQTs detektiert wurden. Die Seitenwurzelbildung von Arabidopsis und Pappel wurde durch L. bicolor-VOCs angeregt. C. geophilum, welcher nicht fähig ist SQTs zu bilden, hatte keine Wirkung auf die Wurzelstruktur. Unterdrückung der SQT-Synthese in L. bicolor durch Inhibierung des Mevalonat-Biosyntheseweges mit Lovastatin verminderte die Stimulierung der Seitenwurzelbildung signifikant. Diese Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass pilzliche SQTs Seitenwurzelbildung auslösen. Das schwach emittierte Thujopsen stimulierte die Seitenwurzelbildung sowohl in Abwesenheit des Pilzes als auch bei einer Unterdrückung der SQT-Biosynthese des Pilzes durch Lovastatin. Das SQT β-Caryophyllene hatte keinen Einfluss auf die Wurzelstruktur. Diese Arbeit zeigt, dass pilzliche SQTs, darunter das spezifische Thujopsen, wichtige Signalstoffe in der Interaktion zwischen EMF und Wirts- sowie Nicht-Wirtspflanzen darstellen. iii) Die Käfer C. populi und P. vitellinae sind typisch vorkommende Schädlinge in Pappelplantagen und können signifikante ökonomische Verluste verursachen. Zur Ermittlung, ob von Pappelblättern emittiertes Isopren von C. populi und P. vitellinae Käfern wahrgenommen wird und eine Rolle bei der Orientierung dieser Käfer spielt, wurden verschiedene Fraßversuche mit den Käfern und Isopren-emittierenden und transgenen nicht-Isopren-emittierenden Pappeln durchgeführt. Sowohl in Gewächshaus- als auch in Laborversuchen zeigten weder die Larven noch die Käfer eine Präferenz für Isopren-emittierende oder nicht-emittierende Linien. Unerwarteter Weise wurden eine verstärkte Eiablage und ein höherer Fraßschaden auf Isopren-emittierenden gegenüber nicht-emittierenden Linien unter Freilandbedingungen festgestellt. Metabolomanalysen wiesen auf Veränderungen in den Blättern, welche von der Pappellinie abhängig waren, und auf Effekte auf Terpen-Muster hin. Die Käfer waren in der Lage verschiedene Terpene wahrzunehmen, waren aber nicht in der Lage Isopren wahrzunehmen. Daher könnten kleine Veränderungen der VOC-Emission in den transgenen nicht-Isopren emittierenden Pappellinien durch Unterdrückung der Isopren-Produktion und/oder ausgelöste Veränderungen im Metabolom-Profil die Käfer-Präferenz verändert haben. Obwohl das Hauptziel der Untersuchung - Isopren - keinen Einfluss auf das Käferverhalten hatte, wurde das Käferverhalten auf den Pappeln durch Konsequenzen der Modifikation beeinflusst. Das Ausmaß dieses Effektes war jedoch marginal. iv) Unter natürlichen Bedingungen interagieren Pappeln zeitgleich mit unterirdischen und oberirdischen Organismen. Zur Untersuchung, ob eine Inokulation von Pappeln mit EMF in den Blättern molekulare Veränderungen hervorruft und ob diese Veränderungen das Verhalten von Pappelblattkäfern beeinflussen, hatten C. populi-Käfer die Wahl zwischen Pappeln, welche mit L. bicolor inokuliert waren, und solchen, die nicht inokuliert waren. C. populi präferierten die Nicht-inokulierten sowohl als Nahrung als auch zur Eiablage. RNA-Sequenzierung des Blatttranskriptoms deutete an, dass der Käferbefall eine starke Abwehrreaktion in den Pflanzen auslöste. Auch die EMF-Inokulation beeinflusste das Blatt-Transkriptom, jedoch nur von wenigen Genen. Im Vergleich zu den nicht-inokulierten Pappeln wiesen die inokulierten Pappeln verringerte Transkript-Abundanzen von Genen des Abscisinsäure-Signalweges und der Flavonoid-Biosynthese sowie erhöhte Transkript-Abundanzen der Biosynthesegene von Aldoximen auf, welche kürzlich als Abwehrstoffe identifiziert wurden. Diese Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass EMF die Abwehr gegen Herbivore aktivieren und dadurch den natürlichen Schutz von Pappeln verbessern. In jungen Pappeln verursachen EMF jedoch auch ein signifikant geringeres Wachstum. Zusammenfassend zeigen die Ergebnisse dieser Dissertation, dass EMF-VOC-Profile sich von jenen anderer Pilze oder anderer Lebensweisen unterscheiden und dass eine bestimmte chemische Gruppe, die SQTs, als Signalmoleküle in frühen Interaktionen mit Pflanzen fungieren. Zum ersten Mal konnte eine Pilz-VOC, Thujopsen, identifiziert werden, welche für die Stimulierung der Seitenwurzelbildung in Pflanzen verantwortlich ist. Es wurde gezeigt, dass die Haupt-Pappel-VOC Isopren nur eine geringe Rolle in oberirdischen Interaktionen mit dem Herbivoren C. populi spielt. EMF führten zu Transkriptveränderungen in Pappelblättern und einer reduzierten Attraktivität für C. populi Käfer. Die Ergebnisse dieser Dissertation können für biotechnologische Verbesserungen von Pappeln und verstärktem Schutz von Pappeln in Biomasseplantagen verwendet werden

A Boolean probabilistic model of metabolic adaptation to oxygen in relation to iron homeostasis and oxidative stress

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In aerobically grown cells, iron homeostasis and oxidative stress are tightly linked processes implicated in a growing number of diseases. The deregulation of iron homeostasis due to gene defects or environmental stresses leads to a wide range of diseases with consequences for cellular metabolism that remain poorly understood. The modelling of iron homeostasis in relation to the main features of metabolism, energy production and oxidative stress may provide new clues to the ways in which changes in biological processes in a normal cell lead to disease.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using a methodology based on probabilistic Boolean modelling, we constructed the first model of yeast iron homeostasis including oxygen-related reactions in the frame of central metabolism. The resulting model of 642 elements and 1007 reactions was validated by comparing simulations with a large body of experimental results (147 phenotypes and 11 metabolic flux experiments). We removed every gene, thus generating <it>in silico </it>mutants. The simulations of the different mutants gave rise to a remarkably accurate qualitative description of most of the experimental phenotype (overall consistency > 91.5%). A second validation involved analysing the anaerobiosis to aerobiosis transition. Therefore, we compared the simulations of our model with different levels of oxygen to experimental metabolic flux data. The simulations reproducted accurately ten out of the eleven metabolic fluxes. We show here that our probabilistic Boolean modelling strategy provides a useful description of the dynamics of a complex biological system. A clustering analysis of the simulations of all <it>in silico </it>mutations led to the identification of clear phenotypic profiles, thus providing new insights into some metabolic response to stress conditions. Finally, the model was also used to explore several new hypothesis in order to better understand some unexpected phenotypes in given mutants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>All these results show that this model, and the underlying modelling strategy, are powerful tools for improving our understanding of complex biological problems.</p

Reconstrução in silico da rede metabólica de sesquiterpenos da Copaifera multijuga Hayne

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Molecular, 2018.Comumente chamada de “copaíba”, a Copaifera multijuga Hayne (CmH) é uma planta do gênero Copaifera (Leguminosae-Caesalpinoideae) que ocorre na Amazônia brasileira. Extraído do tronco das árvores, o óleo-resina de Copaifera spp. é amplamente utilizado por povos indígenas da região amazônica na medicina popular e tem alto potencial associado a aplicações biotecnológicas como agente antimicrobiano, anti-inflamatório, antitumoral, antinociceptivo, antileishmanial e cicatrizante. O óleo-resina de Copaifera spp. é composto por ácidos resinosos e compostos voláteis, principalmente sesquiterpenos e diterpenos Neste trabalho, sesquiterpenos do óleo-resina da CmH, cenários biológicos para sua biossíntese e seus mecanismos químicos foram coletados de vários estudos. Com base nessa coleta de dados, em dados de um transcritoma da CmH e em métodos e ferramentas computacionais, foi reconstruída in silico uma rede metabólica de sesquiterpenos de Copaifera multijuga Hayne (CmH). Esta rede metabólica é uma compilação de reações enzimáticas cobrindo mecanismos de ciclização, compostos preditos e cenários biológicos para a biossíntese. Os resultados foram convenientemente armazenados em um banco de dados em grafos projetado especificamente para esta finalidade, tornando-se localizáveis, acessíveis, interoperáveis e reutilizáveis. O workflow utilizado para a reconstrução in silico funciona para múltiplos organismos, bem como pode ser adaptado para diferentes tipos de mecanismos químicos alterando o conjunto de regras de gramática de grafos.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) e Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF).Ordinarily named “copaiba”, the Copaifera multijuga Hayne (CmH) is a plant of Copaifera genus (Leguminosae-Caesalpinoideae) occurring in the Brazilian Amazon. Exuded from the trunk of trees, the oil-resin of Copaifera spp. is widely used by indigenous people from the Amazon region for healing and in folk medicine, and it has high associated potential biotechnological applications, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antinociceptive, antileishmanial and healing. The oil-resin of Copaifera spp. is composed of resinous acids and volatile compounds, mainly sesquiterpenes and diterpenes In this study, a range of CmH oil-resin sesquiterpenes, biological scenarios for their biosynthesis, and its chemical mechanisms were collected from several studies. Based on this data collection, on CmH transcriptome data, and on computational methods and tools, an in silico sesquiterpene metabolic network of Copaifera multijuga Hayne (CmH) was reconstructed. The resulting sesquiterpene metabolic network of CmH is a compilation of reactions covering cyclization mechanisms, predicted compounds, and biological scenarios for the biosynthesis. These results were suitably stored in a graph database designed for it, and they became findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. The workflow for the in silico reconstruction can be used for multiple organisms as well as graph grammar rules can be added or removed to achieve different types of chemical mechanisms

Mechanistic studies of HPP epoxidase and DXP reductoisomerase: applications to biosynthesis and antibiotic development

textThe focus of this dissertation is the study of two enzymes, DXR and HppE. DXR catalyzes the first committed step in the MEP pathway, which is the pathway most eubacteria, archeabacteria, algae, and the plastids of plants use for the biosynthesis of isoprenoid. Since mammals utilize the mevalonate pathway and isoprenoids are essential for survival, all enzymes in the MEP pathway are excellent antibiotic targets. One antibiotic that has promise in the fight against malaria is the natural product fosmidomycin, whose antibiotic activity is due to its ability to bind and inhibit DXR. With a deeper understanding of DXR's catalyzed reaction, it will be possible to design a more sophisticated and potent antibiotic. To probe the mechanism of DXR, two fluorinated substrate analogues, 3F-DXP and 4F-DXP, and a fluorinated product analogue, FCH₂-MEP were designed and analyzed as possible substrates or inhibitors. To further analyze the mechanism of DXR, a 2° [²H]-KIE study was conducted using the equilibrium perturbation method. The second enzyme this dissertation examines is HppE, which catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic, fosfomycin. Fosfomycin is a clinically useful antibiotic for the treatment of limb-threatening diabetic foot infections and urinary tract infections. Chemically speaking, HppE is unique for two reasons. First, HppE's epoxidation differs from Nature's standard method of epoxide formation by alkene oxidation, where the epoxide oxygen is derived from molecular oxygen. For HppE, the epoxide is formed through the dehydrogenation of a secondary alcohol; thus the epoxide oxygen is derived from the substrate. Second, HppE is a unique member of the mononuclear non-heme iron-dependent family of enzymes. HppE differs from all other mononuclear non-heme iron-dependent enzymes by requiring NADH and an external electron mediator for turnover but not requiring [alpha]-KG, pterin, ascorbate, or an internal iron-sulfur cluster. After a study was published on the activity of zinc-reconstituted HppE from Streptomyces wedmorensis, the proposed iron and NADH dependent mechanism of HppE was reevaluated and was reconfirmed. The HppE from Pseudomonas syringae (Ps-HppE) was also purified and was characterized biochemically and spectroscopically. The results of [²H] and [¹⁸O]-KIE studies on Ps-HppE are also reported.Chemistry and BiochemistryBiochemistr

Proteome allocations change linearly with the specific growth rate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under glucose limitation

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a widely used cell factory; therefore, it is important to understand how it organizes key functional parts when cultured under different conditions. Here, we perform a multiomics analysis of S. cerevisiae by culturing the strain with a wide range of specific growth rates using glucose as the sole limiting nutrient. Under these different conditions, we measure the absolute transcriptome, the absolute proteome, the phosphoproteome, and the metabolome. Most functional protein groups show a linear dependence on the specific growth rate. Proteins engaged in translation show a perfect linear increase with the specific growth rate, while glycolysis and chaperone proteins show a linear decrease under respiratory conditions. Glycolytic enzymes and chaperones, however, show decreased phosphorylation with increasing specific growth rates; at the same time, an overall increased flux through these pathways is observed. Further analysis show that even though mRNA levels do not correlate with protein levels for all individual genes, the transcriptome level of functional groups correlates very well with its corresponding proteome. Finally, using enzyme-constrained genome-scale modeling, we find that enzyme usage plays an important role in controlling flux in amino acid biosynthesis. Understanding how yeast organizes its functional proteome is a fundamental task in systems biology. Here, the authors conduct a multiomics analysis on yeast cells cultured with different growth rates, identifying a linear dependence of the functional proteome on the growth rate

Importance of Myxomycetes in Biological Research and Teaching

Myxomycetes, the true slime molds, are highlighted in research and teaching that emphasizes various stages of the life cycle as experimental models. Past and current phylogenetic classifications of Myxomycetes on the tree of life are presented. Life cycle stages are illustrated, described, and discussed. Simple laboratory demonstrations and experiments are described that include spore germination, spore release, and moist chamber cultures utilizing organic matter from various microhabitats. Novel compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and plasmodia of 22 myxomycete species are tabulated, some of which exhibit biological activity that function as antibiotics, antimicrobials, and are cytotoxic to cancer cells. Aeroallergens include myxomycete spores, especially Fuligo septica. The plasmodial stage of Physarum polycephalum has been used as a model research system to study responses to gravity in outer space, solve the shortest pathway through a maze exhibiting “primitive intelligence,” develop a biologically controlled robot, discover what controls synchronous nuclear division, and the development of a new drug Polycefin that shows promise in the treatment of breast and brain cancerous tumors. Life span and senescence experiments showed that aging and longevity were under nuclear control. Environmental ground pollution may be remediated by myxomycete fruiting bodies and plasmodia of Fuligo septica that hyper-accumulate and concentrate highly toxic levels of zinc several thousand fold greater than site vegetation and lesser significant amounts of barium, cadmium, iron, manganese, and strontium. Tree canopy research has shown that aerial pollution results in the decrease of myxomycete species richness at higher elevations for Abies fraseri in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At lower elevations and locations in the United States of America living Juniperus virginiana tree canopies have the highest species richness (54). Myxomycetes that occur mostly on the bark surface of living trees, shrubs, woody vines, prairie and desert plants fall into five pH groups: low pH (3.5– 4.5), mid-range pH (4.6–6.0) and pH (6.1–7.5), high pH values (7.6–10.0), and a broad spectrum of pH (3.5–7.5). When more environmental parameters are better known myxomycetes may one day serve as the basis for evaluating the impact of pollutants on living trees

Importance of Myxomycetes in Biological Research and Teaching

Myxomycetes, the true slime molds, are highlighted in research and teaching that emphasizes various stages of the life cycle as experimental models. Past and current phylogenetic classifications of Myxomycetes on the tree of life are presented. Life cycle stages are illustrated, described, and discussed. Simple laboratory demonstrations and experiments are described that include spore germination, spore release, and moist chamber cultures utilizing organic matter from various microhabitats. Novel compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and plasmodia of 22 myxomycete species are tabulated, some of which exhibit biological activity that function as antibiotics, antimicrobials, and are cytotoxic to cancer cells. Aeroallergens include myxomycete spores, especially Fuligo septica. The plasmodial stage of Physarum polycephalum has been used as a model research system to study responses to gravity in outer space, solve the shortest pathway through a maze exhibiting “primitive intelligence,” develop a biologically controlled robot, discover what controls synchronous nuclear division, and the development of a new drug Polycefin that shows promise in the treatment of breast and brain cancerous tumors. Life span and senescence experiments showed that aging and longevity were under nuclear control. Environmental ground pollution may be remediated by myxomycete fruiting bodies and plasmodia of Fuligo septica that hyper-accumulate and concentrate highly toxic levels of zinc several thousand fold greater than site vegetation and lesser significant amounts of barium, cadmium, iron, manganese, and strontium. Tree canopy research has shown that aerial pollution results in the decrease of myxomycete species richness at higher elevations for Abies fraseri in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At lower elevations and locations in the United States of America living Juniperus virginiana tree canopies have the highest species richness (54). Myxomycetes that occur mostly on the bark surface of living trees, shrubs, woody vines, prairie and desert plants fall into five pH groups: low pH (3.5– 4.5), mid-range pH (4.6–6.0) and pH (6.1–7.5), high pH values (7.6–10.0), and a broad spectrum of pH (3.5–7.5). When more environmental parameters are better known myxomycetes may one day serve as the basis for evaluating the impact of pollutants on living trees

Revelation of Yin-Yang Balance in Microbial Cell Factories by Data Mining, Flux Modeling, and Metabolic Engineering

The long-held assumption of never-ending rapid growth in biotechnology and especially in synthetic biology has been recently questioned, due to lack of substantial return of investment. One of the main reasons for failures in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering is the metabolic burdens that result in resource losses. Metabolic burden is defined as the portion of a host cells resources either energy molecules (e.g., NADH, NADPH and ATP) or carbon building blocks (e.g., amino acids) that is used to maintain the engineered components (e.g., pathways). As a result, the effectiveness of synthetic biology tools heavily dependents on cell capability to carry on the metabolic burden. Although genetic modifications can effectively engineer cells and redirect carbon fluxes toward diverse products, insufficient cell ATP powerhouse is limited to support diverse microbial activities including product synthesis. Here, I employ an ancient Chinese philosophy (Yin-Yang) to describe two contrary forces that are interconnected and interdependent, where Yin represents energy metabolism in the form of ATP, and Yang represents carbon metabolism. To decipher Yin-Yang balance and its implication to microbial cell factories, this dissertation applied metabolic engineering, flux analysis, data mining tools to reveal cell physiological responses under different genetic and environmental conditions. Firstly, a combined approach of FBA and 13C-MFA was employed to investigate several engineered isobutanol-producing strains and examine their carbon and energy metabolism. The result indicated isobutanol overproduction strongly competed for biomass building blocks and thus the addition of nutrients (yeast extract) to support cell growth is essential for high yield of isobutanol. Based on the analysis of isobutanol production, \u27Yin-Yang\u27 theory has been proposed to illustrate the importance of carbon and energy balance in engineered strains. The effects of metabolic burden and respiration efficiency (P/O ratio) on biofuel product were determined by FBA simulation. The discovery of energy cliff explained failures in bioprocess scale-ups. The simulation also predicted that fatty acid production is more sensitive to P/O ratio change than alcohol production. Based on that prediction, fatty acid producing strains have been engineered with the insertion of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb), to overcome the intracellular energy limitation by improving its oxygen uptake and respiration efficiency. The result confirmed our hypothesis and different level of trade-off between the burden and the benefit from various introduced genetic components. On the other side, a series of computational tools have been developed to accelerate the application of fluxomics research. Microbesflux has been rebuilt, upgraded, and moved to a commercial server. A platform for fluxomics study as well as an open source 13C-MFA tool (WUFlux) has been developed. Further, a computational platform that integrates machine learning, logic programming, and constrained programming together has been developed. This platform gives fast predictions of microbial central metabolism with decent accuracy. Lastly, a framework has been built to integrate Big Data technology and text mining to interpret concepts and technology trends based on the literature survey. Case studies have been performed, and informative results have been obtained through this Big Data framework within five minutes. In summary, 13C-MFA and flux balance analysis are only tools to quantify cell energy and carbon metabolism (i.e., Yin-Yang Balance), leading to the rational design of robust high-producing microbial cell factories. Developing advanced computational tools will facilitate the application of fluxomics research and literature analysis