Take extracellular phosphate into account

21 May 2012

In comparative systems biology, the dynamic interactions between components in biological systems are studied - both experimentally and through modelling - to gain insight into the differences and similarities in behaviour of related organisms. Jennifer Levering (University of Heidelberg), NBIC Faculty Bas Teusink (VU Amsterdam) and colleagues applied a comparative systems biology approach to the primary metabolism of two lactic-acid producing bacteria: Lactococcus lactis, a beneficial bacterium widely used in the dairy industry and Streptococcus pyogenes, a human pathogen. In spite of the many differences between their natural environments, both bacteria exhibit striking similarities in their central metabolism. Starting out by improving the kinetic model of L. lactis glycolysis, Levering et al. used those results to construct the first kinetic model of glycolysis in S. pyogenes. Both models point to an important regulatory role for extracellular phosphate, which is generally not included as an independent species in metabolic models. According to the authors, metabolic analyses should in the future pay more attention to the role of extracellular phosphate.

Levering J, Musters MWJM, Bekker M, Bellomo D, Fiedler T, de Vos WM, Hugenholtz J, Kreikemeyer B, Kummer U and Teusink B.
Role of phosphate in central metabolism of two lactic acid bacteria – a comparative systems biology approach
FEBS Journal, 279:1274-1290. doi:10.1111/j.1742-4658.2012.08523.x

By: Esther Thole

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