Central Carbon Metabolism Analysis Service Case Study

Title: Carbon flux through photosynthesis and central carbon metabolism show distinct patterns between algae, C₃ and C₄ plants

Journal: Nature Plants

Published: 2022

Background

Microalgae are generally more efficient in photosynthesis than C₃ or C₄ plants, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. This study aims to reveal the differences in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism by comparing the carbon metabolic flux of microalgae and higher plants, in order to understand why microalgae have higher growth rates and productivity.

Results

(1) Photosynthetic carbon fixation

C₃ plants: Rely on Rubisco to directly fix CO₂, and there is 20-30% carbon loss caused by photorespiration.

C₄ plants: Concentrate CO₂ through PEP carboxylase and C₄ acid shuttle, and photorespiration is negligible (<5%).

Microalgae: Use CO₂ concentration mechanism (CCM) and β-carboxylation pathway (such as PEPC) to enhance carbon fixation capacity in low CO₂ environment.

Microalgae have significantly higher photosynthetic rates than C₃ and C₄ plants.

(2) Central carbon metabolism (CCM)

C₃ plants: Calvin cycle dominates, TCA cycle is regulated by day and night.

C₄ plants: Glycolysis is active in mesophyll cells, and TCA cycle in vascular bundle sheath continuously supplies energy.

Microalgae: glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) are active, supporting lipid synthesis; TCA cycle is weakened.

(3) Accumulation of metabolic intermediates

Microalgae have higher levels of metabolic intermediates (e.g., 2-phosphoglycerate, 3-phosphoglyceraldehyde, RuBP), indicating more active carbon metabolism.

In contrast, C₃ and C₄ plants have lower levels of metabolic intermediates and slower rates of carbon flow to sucrose and starch.

(4) Protein and organic acid synthesis

The protein synthesis rate of microalgae is significantly higher than that of C₃ and C₄ plants, and the rate of carbon flow to amino acids (such as glutamate and aspartate) is also faster.

The rate of carbon flow to organic acids (such as malic acid and oxaloacetic acid) of microalgae is also significantly higher than that of C₃ and C₄ plants, which may be related to its efficient carbon assimilation mechanism.

Algae central carbon metabolism analysis by using LC-MS/MS Figure 1. MDS of ¹³C enrichment (%) in the time kinetic pulses of 5–40 s. (LC-MS/MS)

Algae central carbon metabolism analysis by using GC-MS/MS Figure 2. MDS of ¹³C enrichment (%) in the time kinetic pulses of 15–300 min. (GC-MS/MS)

Conclusion

This study revealed significant differences between microalgae and C₃ and C₄ plants in photosynthesis and central carbon metabolism. Microalgae have faster carbon metabolic flux, especially in the Calvin-Benson cycle, phosphoglycerate pathway, lipid synthesis and protein synthesis. These differences may be related to their efficient CO₂ concentration mechanism, rapid carbon allocation and high metabolic flexibility. These findings provide an important theoretical basis for improving crop photosynthetic efficiency and carbon metabolic flux, and provide potential directions for the application of microalgae in bioenergy and biomanufacturing.

Reference

Treves H.; et al. Carbon flux through photosynthesis and central carbon metabolism show distinct patterns between algae, C₃ and C₄ plants. Nat Plants. 2022. 8(1):78-91.

* For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Our customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Inquiry

From Our Clients

"I recently used their proteomics service for a project analyzing protein interactions in yeast models. The team was very responsive and helped clarify the methodology they employed, which made me feel confident in the results. The data quality was solid, with clear identification of several key proteins involved in our study. Their thorough analysis enabled me to pinpoint specific interactions that I hadn't considered before, which significantly improved the direction of my research. I appreciate their professionalism and support throughout the process."

Sarah Thompson, University of California, Berkeley

"Our lab collaborated with them on a project studying cancer biomarkers. The proteomics analysis provided was detailed and focused, specifically highlighting the differential expression of proteins between healthy and tumor samples. Their clear explanations of the data helped my team understand the biological implications. I also appreciated their willingness to revise the reports based on our feedback, ensuring that we had everything we needed for our publication. This collaborative spirit was invaluable."

Emily Rodriguez, Stanford University

"Our lab worked with them on a project studying the effects of diet on gut microbiota using proteomics. They used a label-free quantification method to analyze proteins in fecal samples before and after dietary intervention. The results showed significant changes in protein expression linked to microbial activity. This was pivotal for our hypothesis about diet-microbiota interactions. The clarity of their data presentation made it easy for our team to integrate these findings into our ongoing research."

Dr. Lisa Wong, University of Toronto

"My experience with Creative Proteomics during the mass spectrometry analysis was excellent. We sent in human saliva and mouse brain tissue samples, which they expertly analyzed using both LC-MS and GC-MS techniques. The results were invaluable, revealing key metabolites in the saliva and identifying biomarkers linked to brain function in the brain tissue."

Dr. Emily Carter, Senior Research Scientist

"The overall service from Creative Proteomics was outstanding. They made the entire process seamless and efficient, allowing us to focus on our research. We worked with leaf and root samples from various Arabidopsis genotypes for targeted metabolomics analysis. Their thorough profiling of primary and secondary metabolites gave us important insights into how the plants respond metabolically to environmental stress."

Dr. Laura Henderson, Plant Physiologist

"We had a pleasant collaboration with Creative Proteomics on mass spectrometry analysis of lipids. They conducted a detailed analysis of lipid species, providing us with important insights into lipid metabolism and its relationship with metabolic syndrome disease states."

Dr. Sarah Mitchell, Research Scientist

Online Inquiry

Please submit a detailed description of your project. We will provide you with a customized project plan to meet your research requests. You can also send emails directly to for inquiries.

Great Minds Choose Creative Proteomics