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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Metabolic Pathway Confirmation and Discovery Through 13C-labeling of Proteinogenic Amino Acids
Published on: January 26, 2012
Advancements in 13C isotope tracking of synergistic substrate co-utilization in Pseudomonas species and implications
Caroll M Mendonca1, Rebecca A Wilkes1, Ludmilla Aristilde2
1Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Abstract:
Pseudomonads are well-known to thrive in diverse and complex nutritional habitats, and these capabilities make Pseudomonas species attractive as whole-cell biocatalysts. Industrial bioconversion processes often rely on complex uptake and synergistic metabolic systems due to the presence of varied carbon substrates in nutrient feedstocks. Isotope labeling experiments (ILEs) are emerging techniques used to elucidate cell metabolism following feeding on isotopically enriched substrates and are pivotal to the understanding of carbon partitioning during co-utilization. In this review, we highlight the applications of ILEs to decipher the metabolic networks in Pseudomonas species and evaluate their relevance in optimizing biocatalytic platforms.

