Multi-Species, Genome-Wide Metabolic Network Reconstructions Reveal the Basis for Metabolic Versatility in Mycobacteria
The genus Mycobacterium comprises over 200 species, many of which now have complete genome sequences. Some are major pathogens causing diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy, while others are harmless environmental organisms with useful abilities such as degrading pollutants. Environmental mycobacteria are often seen as metabolic generalists, able to utilise a wider range of carbon sources than…
The study investigated the metabolic versatility of various Mycobacterium species, revealing that nutrient uptake capabilities play a crucial role. The researchers constructed genome-scale metabolic models for five Mycobacterium species with different lifestyles and growth rates, employing a computational method developed within the CarveMe framework.
These models were then validated using microbiology experiments. The findings demonstrated that even if a transporter is present but cannot uptake its substrate at a sufficient rate for growth, the supply of multiple substrates could alleviate the rate-limiting step. This suggests that mycobacteria have evolved high-affinity, low-rate systems for nutrient uptake in their ecological niches.
Overall, the combined use of automated annotation methods and straightforward bacterial physiology experiments enabled the reconstruction of high-quality, predictive metabolic models for under-studied mycobacterial species.
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