Metabolome remodeling during the acidogenic-solventogenic transition in clostridium acetobutylicum

Daniel Amador-Noguez, Ian A. Brasg, Xiao Jiang Feng, Nathaniel Roquet, Joshua D. Rabinowitz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

103 Scopus citations

Abstract

The fermentation carried out by the biofuel producer Clostridium acetobutylicum is characterized by two distinct phases. Acidogenesis occurs during exponential growth and involves the rapid production of acids (acetate and butyrate). Solventogenesis initiates as cell growth slows down and involves the production of solvents (butanol, acetone, and ethanol). Using metabolomics, isotope tracers, and quantitative flux modeling, we have mapped the metabolic changes associated with the acidogenic-solventogenic transition. We observed a remarkably ordered series of metabolite concentration changes, involving almost all of the 114 measured metabolites, as the fermentation progresses from acidogenesis to solventogenesis. The intracellular levels of highly abundant amino acids and upper glycolytic intermediates decrease sharply during this transition. NAD(P)H and nucleotide triphosphates levels also decrease during solventogenesis, while low-energy nucleotides accumulate. These changes in metabolite concentrations are accompanied by large changes in intracellular metabolic fluxes. During solventogenesis, carbon flux into amino acids, as well as flux from pyruvate (the last metabolite in glycolysis) into oxaloacetate, decreases by more than 10-fold. This redirects carbon into acetyl coenzyme A, which cascades into solventogenesis. In addition, the electron-consuming reductive tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is shutdown, while the electron-producing oxidative (clockwise) right side of the TCA cycle remains active. Thus, the solventogenic transition involves global remodeling of metabolism to redirect resources (carbon and reducing power) from biomass production into solvent production.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7984-7997
Number of pages14
JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology
Volume77
Issue number22
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biotechnology
  • Food Science
  • Ecology
  • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Metabolome remodeling during the acidogenic-solventogenic transition in clostridium acetobutylicum'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this