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Metabolic flux elucidation for large-scale models using 13C labeled isotopes.

ABSTRACT: A key consideration in metabolic engineering is the determination of fluxes of the metabolites within the cell. This determination provides an unambiguous description of metabolism before and/or after engineering interventions. Here, we present a computational framework that combines a constraint-based modeling framework with isotopic label tracing on a large scale. When cells are fed a growth substrate with certain carbon positions labeled with (13)C, the distribution of this label in the intracellular metabolites can be calculated based on the known biochemistry of the participating pathways. Most labeling studies focus on skeletal representations of central metabolism and ignore many flux routes that could contribute to the observed isotopic labeling patterns. In contrast, our approach investigates the importance of carrying out isotopic labeling studies using a more comprehensive reaction network consisting of 350 fluxes and 184 metabolites in Escherichia coli including global metabolite balances on cofactors such as ATP, NADH, and NADPH. The proposed procedure is demonstrated on an E. coli strain engineered to produce amorphadiene, a precursor to the antimalarial drug artemisinin. The cells were grown in continuous culture on glucose containing 20% [U-(13)C]glucose; the measurements are made using GC-MS performed on 13 amino acids extracted from the cells. We identify flux distributions for which the calculated labeling patterns agree well with the measurements alluding to the accuracy of the network reconstruction. Furthermore, we explore the robustness of the flux calculations to variability in the experimental MS measurements, as well as highlight the key experimental measurements necessary for flux determination. Finally, we discuss the effect of reducing the model, as well as shed light onto the customization of the developed computational framework to other systems.

SUBMITTER: Suthers PF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2121621 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Sep-Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Metabolic flux elucidation for large-scale models using 13C labeled isotopes.

Suthers Patrick F PF Burgard Anthony P AP Dasika Madhukar S MS Nowroozi Farnaz F Van Dien Stephen S Keasling Jay D JD Maranas Costas D CD

Metabolic engineering 20070529 5-6

A key consideration in metabolic engineering is the determination of fluxes of the metabolites within the cell. This determination provides an unambiguous description of metabolism before and/or after engineering interventions. Here, we present a computational framework that combines a constraint-based modeling framework with isotopic label tracing on a large scale. When cells are fed a growth substrate with certain carbon positions labeled with (13)C, the distribution of this label in the intra ...[more]

PMID: 17632026

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Project description:Determination of internal metabolic fluxes is crucial for fundamental and applied biology because they map how carbon and electrons flow through metabolism to enable cell function. 13 C Metabolic Flux Analysis ( 13 C MFA) and Two-Scale 13 C Metabolic Flux Analysis (2S- 13 C MFA) are two techniques used to determine such fluxes. Both operate on the simplifying approximation that metabolic flux from peripheral metabolism into central "core" carbon metabolism is minimal, and can be omitted when modeling isotopic labeling in core metabolism. The validity of this "two-scale" or "bow tie" approximation is supported both by the ability to accurately model experimental isotopic labeling data, and by experimentally verified metabolic engineering predictions using these methods. However, the boundaries of core metabolism that satisfy this approximation can vary across species, and across cell culture conditions. Here, we present a set of algorithms that (1) systematically calculate flux bounds for any specified "core" of a genome-scale model so as to satisfy the bow tie approximation and (2) automatically identify an updated set of core reactions that can satisfy this approximation more efficiently. First, we leverage linear programming to simultaneously identify the lowest fluxes from peripheral metabolism into core metabolism compatible with the observed growth rate and extracellular metabolite exchange fluxes. Second, we use Simulated Annealing to identify an updated set of core reactions that allow for a minimum of fluxes into core metabolism to satisfy these experimental constraints. Together, these methods accelerate and automate the identification of a biologically reasonable set of core reactions for use with 13 C MFA or 2S- 13 C MFA, as well as provide for a substantially lower set of flux bounds for fluxes into the core as compared with previous methods. We provide an open source Python implementation of these algorithms at https://github.com/JBEI/limitfluxtocore.

Project description:BackgroundThe importance and power of isotope-based metabolic flux analysis and its contribution to understanding the metabolic network is increasingly recognized. Its application is, however, still limited partly due to computational inefficiency. 13C metabolic flux analysis aims to compute in vivo metabolic fluxes in terms of metabolite balancing extended by carbon isotopomer balances and involves a nonlinear least-squares problem. To solve the problem more efficiently, improved numerical optimization techniques are necessary.ResultsFor flux computation, we developed a gradient-based hybrid optimization algorithm. Here, independent flux variables were compactified into [0, 1)-ranged variables using a single transformation rule. The compactified parameters could be discriminated between non-identifiable and identifiable variables after model linearization. The developed hybrid algorithm was applied to the central metabolism of Bacillus subtilis with only succinate and glutamate as carbon sources. This creates difficulties caused by symmetry of succinate leading to limited introduction of 13C labeling information into the system. The algorithm was found to be superior to its parent algorithms and to global optimization methods both in accuracy and speed. The hybrid optimization with tolerance adjustment quickly converged to the minimum with close to zero deviation and exactly re-estimated flux variables. In the metabolic network studied, some fluxes were found to be either non-identifiable or nonlinearly correlated. The non-identifiable fluxes could correctly be predicted a priori using the model identification method applied, whereas the nonlinear flux correlation was revealed only by identification runs using different starting values a posteriori.ConclusionThis fast, robust and accurate optimization method is useful for high-throughput metabolic flux analysis, a posteriori identification of possible parameter correlations, and also for Monte Carlo simulations to obtain statistical qualities for flux estimates. In this way, it contributes to future quantitative studies of central metabolic networks in the framework of systems biology.

Project description:BACKGROUND: The quantitative analysis of metabolic fluxes, i.e., in vivo activities of intracellular enzymes and pathways, provides key information on biological systems in systems biology and metabolic engineering. It is based on a comprehensive approach combining (i) tracer cultivation on 13C substrates, (ii) 13C labelling analysis by mass spectrometry and (iii) mathematical modelling for experimental design, data processing, flux calculation and statistics. Whereas the cultivation and the analytical part is fairly advanced, a lack of appropriate modelling software solutions for all modelling aspects in flux studies is limiting the application of metabolic flux analysis. RESULTS: We have developed OpenFLUX as a user friendly, yet flexible software application for small and large scale 13C metabolic flux analysis. The application is based on the new Elementary Metabolite Unit (EMU) framework, significantly enhancing computation speed for flux calculation. From simple notation of metabolic reaction networks defined in a spreadsheet, the OpenFLUX parser automatically generates MATLAB-readable metabolite and isotopomer balances, thus strongly facilitating model creation. The model can be used to perform experimental design, parameter estimation and sensitivity analysis either using the built-in gradient-based search or Monte Carlo algorithms or in user-defined algorithms. Exemplified for a microbial flux study with 71 reactions, 8 free flux parameters and mass isotopomer distribution of 10 metabolites, OpenFLUX allowed to automatically compile the EMU-based model from an Excel file containing metabolic reactions and carbon transfer mechanisms, showing it's user-friendliness. It reliably reproduced the published data and optimum flux distributions for the network under study were found quickly (<20 sec). CONCLUSION: We have developed a fast, accurate application to perform steady-state 13C metabolic flux analysis. OpenFLUX will strongly facilitate and enhance the design, calculation and interpretation of metabolic flux studies. By providing the software open source, we hope it will evolve with the rapidly growing field of fluxomics.

Project description:BackgroundGenome-scale metabolic models are important tools in systems biology. They permit the in-silico prediction of cellular phenotypes via mathematical optimisation procedures, most importantly flux balance analysis. Current studies on metabolic models mostly consider reaction fluxes in isolation. Based on a recently proposed metabolite-centric approach, we here describe a set of methods that enable the analysis and interpretation of flux distributions in an integrated metabolite-centric view. We demonstrate how this framework can be used for the refinement of genome-scale metabolic models.ResultsWe applied the metabolite-centric view developed here to the most recent metabolic reconstruction of Escherichia coli. By compiling the balance sheets of a small number of currency metabolites, we were able to fully characterise the energy metabolism as predicted by the model and to identify a possibility for model refinement in NADPH metabolism. Selected branch points were examined in detail in order to demonstrate how a metabolite-centric view allows identifying functional roles of metabolites. Fructose 6-phosphate aldolase and the sedoheptulose bisphosphate bypass were identified as enzymatic reactions that can carry high fluxes in the model but are unlikely to exhibit significant activity in vivo. Performing a metabolite essentiality analysis, unconstrained import and export of iron ions could be identified as potentially problematic for the quality of model predictions.ConclusionsThe system-wide analysis of split ratios and branch points allows a much deeper insight into the metabolic network than reaction-centric analyses. Extending an earlier metabolite-centric approach, the methods introduced here establish an integrated metabolite-centric framework for the interpretation of flux distributions in genome-scale metabolic networks that can complement the classical reaction-centric framework. Analysing fluxes and their metabolic context simultaneously opens the door to systems biological interpretations that are not apparent from isolated reaction fluxes. Particularly powerful demonstrations of this are the analyses of the complete metabolic contexts of energy metabolism and the folate-dependent one-carbon pool presented in this work. Finally, a metabolite-centric view on flux distributions can guide the refinement of metabolic reconstructions for specific growth scenarios.

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Metabolic flux elucidation for large-scale models using 13C labeled isotopes.

Publications

Metabolic flux elucidation for large-scale models using 13C labeled isotopes.

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