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Simultaneous tracing of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in human cells.

ABSTRACT: Stable isotope tracing is a powerful method for interrogating metabolic enzyme activities across the metabolic network of living cells. However, most studies of mammalian cells have used (13)C-labeled tracers only and focused on reactions in central carbon metabolism. Cellular metabolism, however, involves other biologically important elements, including nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphate and sulfur. Tracing stable isotopes of such elements may help shed light on poorly understood metabolic pathways. Here, we demonstrate the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry to simultaneously trace carbon and nitrogen metabolism in human cells cultured with (13)C- and (15)N-labeled glucose and glutamine. To facilitate interpretation of the complex isotopomer data generated, we extend current methods for metabolic flux analysis to handle multivariate mass isotopomer distributions (MMIDs). We find that observed MMIDs are broadly consistent with known biochemical pathways. Whereas measured (13)C MIDs were informative for central carbon metabolism, (15)N isotopes provided evidence for nitrogen-carrying reactions in amino acid and nucleotide metabolism. This computational and experimental methodology expands the scope of metabolic flux analysis beyond carbon metabolism, and may prove important to understanding metabolic phenotypes in health and disease.

SUBMITTER: Nilsson R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4879607 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Simultaneous tracing of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in human cells.

Nilsson Roland R Jain Mohit M

Molecular bioSystems 20160501 6

Stable isotope tracing is a powerful method for interrogating metabolic enzyme activities across the metabolic network of living cells. However, most studies of mammalian cells have used (13)C-labeled tracers only and focused on reactions in central carbon metabolism. Cellular metabolism, however, involves other biologically important elements, including nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphate and sulfur. Tracing stable isotopes of such elements may help shed light on poorly understood metabolic p ...[more]

PMID: 27098229

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Project description:BackgroundThe natural abundance of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) isotopes in animal tissues are used to estimate an animal's efficiency in nitrogen utilization, and their feed conversion efficiency, especially in tropical grazing systems with prolonged protein restriction. It is postulated that selection for improving these two characteristics (δ15N and δ13C) would assist the optimisation of the adaptation in ever-changing environments, particularly in response to climate change. The aim of this study was to determine the heritability of δ15N and δ13C in the tail hair of tropically adapted beef cattle to validate their inclusion in genetic breeding programs.MethodsIn total, 492 steers from two breeds, Brahman (n = 268) and Droughtmaster (n = 224) were used in this study. These steers were managed in two mixed breed contemporary groups across two years (year of weaning): steers weaned in 2019 (n = 250) and 2020 (n = 242). Samples of tail switch hair representing hair segments grown during the dry season were collected and analysed for δ15N and δ13C with isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. Heritability and variance components were estimated in a univariate multibreed (and single breed) animal model in WOMBAT and ASReml using three generations of full pedigree.ResultsThe estimated heritability of both traits was significantly different from 0, i.e. 0.43 ± 0.14 and 0.41 ± 0.15 for δ15N and δ13C, respectively. These traits had favourable moderate to high genetic and phenotypic correlations (- 0.78 ± 0.16 and - 0.40 ± 0.04, respectively). The study also provides informative single-breed results in spite of the limited sample size, with estimated heritability values of 0.37 ± 0.19 and 0.19 ± 0.17 for δ15N and δ13C in Brahman, and 0.36 ± 0.21 and 0.46 ± 0.22 for δ15N and δ13C in Droughtmaster, respectively.ConclusionsThe findings of this study show, for the first time, that the natural abundances of both nitrogen and carbon isotopes in the tail hair in cattle may be moderately heritable. With further research and validation, tail hair isotopes can become a practical tool for the large-scale selection of more efficient cattle.

Dataset Information

Simultaneous tracing of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in human cells.

Publications

Simultaneous tracing of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in human cells.

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