Acetate is a beneficial nutrient for E. coli at low glycolytic flux.

ABSTRACT: Acetate, a major by-product of glycolytic metabolism in Escherichia coli and many other microorganisms, has long been considered a toxic waste compound that inhibits microbial growth. This counterproductive auto-inhibition represents a major problem in biotechnology and has puzzled the scientific community for decades. Recent studies have however revealed that acetate is also a co-substrate of glycolytic nutrients and a global regulator of E. coli metabolism and physiology. Here, we used a systems biology strategy to investigate the mutual regulation of glycolytic and acetate metabolism in E. coli. Computational and experimental analyses demonstrate that decreasing the glycolytic flux enhances co-utilization of acetate with glucose. Acetate metabolism thus compensates for the reduction in

SUBMITTER: Millard P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10390867 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature