Measuring multiple fluxes through plant metabolic networks

TLDR

Fluxes through metabolic networks are essential for cell function and are measured via labeling, enabling the construction of flux maps that overlay the network. The study describes the principles and best practices of dynamic and steady‑state labeling methods, illustrating their role in network flux analysis with plant and microbial examples. The authors detail analytical methods for detecting stable isotopes, procedures for deriving flux maps from labeling data, and provide concise boxes summarizing key concepts of network flux analysis.

Abstract

Fluxes through metabolic networks are crucial for cell function, and a knowledge of these fluxes is essential for understanding and manipulating metabolic phenotypes. Labeling provides the key to flux measurement, and in network flux analysis the measurement of multiple fluxes allows a flux map to be superimposed on the metabolic network. The principles and practice of two complementary methods, dynamic and steady-state labeling, are described, emphasizing best practice and illustrating their contribution to network flux analysis with examples taken from the plant and microbial literature. The principal analytical methods for the detection of stable isotopes are also described, as well as the procedures for obtaining flux maps from labeling data. A series of boxes summarizing the key concepts of network flux analysis is provided for convenience.