Fast sampling of the cellular Metabolome

Walter M. Van Gulik, Andre B. Canelas, Hilal Taymaz-Nikerel, Rutger D. Douma, Lodewijk P. De Jonge, Joseph J. Heijnen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeChapterScientific

Abstract

Obtaining meaningful snapshots of the metabolome of microorganisms requires rapid sampling and immediate quenching of all metabolic activity, to prevent any changes in metabolite levels after sampling. Furthermore, a suitable extraction method is required ensuring complete extraction of metabolites from the cells and inactivation of enzymatic activity, with minimal degradation of labile compounds. Finally, a sensitive, high-throughput analysis platform is needed to quantify a large number of metabolites in a small amount of sample. An issue which has often been overlooked in microbial metabolomics is the fact that many intracellular metabolites are also present in significant amounts outside the cells and may interfere with the quantification of the endo metabolome. Attempts to remove the extracellular metabolites with dedicated quenching methods often induce release of intracellular metabolites into the quenching solution. For eukaryotic microorganisms, this release can be minimized by adaptation of the quenching method. For prokaryotic cells, this has not yet been accomplished, so the application of a differential method whereby metabolites are measured in the culture supernatant as well as in total broth samples, to calculate the intracellular levels by subtraction, seems to be the most suitable approach. Here we present an overview of different sampling, quenching, and extraction methods developed for microbial metabolomics, described in the literature. Detailed protocols are provided for rapid sampling, quenching, and extraction, for measurement of metabolites in total broth samples, washed cell samples, and supernatant, to be applied for quantitative metabolomics of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMethods in Molecular Biology
PublisherHumana Press Inc.
Pages11-39
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Publication series

NameMethods in Molecular Biology
Volume2349
ISSN (Print)1064-3745
ISSN (Electronic)1940-6029

Bibliographical note

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care
Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

Keywords

  • Endometabolome
  • Exometabolome
  • Fast sampling
  • Isotope dilution mass spectrometry
  • Microbial metabolomics
  • Quenching

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