Novel biological insights through metabolomics and 13C-flux analysis

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2009 Oct;12(5):553-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2009.08.003. Epub 2009 Sep 8.

Abstract

Metabolomics and (13)C-flux analysis have become instrumental for analyzing cellular metabolism and its regulation. Driven primarily by technical advances in mass spectrometry-based analytics, they provide unmatched readouts on metabolic state and activity. Functional genomics leverages metabolomics for the discovery of novel enzymes and unexpected secondary activities of annotated enzymes. (13)C-flux analyses are frequently used for empirical elucidation of pathways in poorly characterized species and for network-wide analysis of mechanisms that realize energy and redox balancing. Integration of metabolomics, (13)C-flux analysis and other data enable the condition-dependent characterization of regulatory circuits that ultimately govern the metabolic phenotype.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Isotopes / analysis*
  • Genomics
  • Metabolomics / methods*
  • Models, Biological

Substances

  • Carbon Isotopes