Metabolic Flux Analysis (MFA) Service

Metabolic flux analysis (MFA), an important analytical technique, is used to examine production and consumption rates of metabolites in a biological system. In systems metabolic engineering, MFA can be used for understanding cellular physiology under particular conditions and predicting its metabolic capability after genetic or environmental perturbations. MFA can also be used for the elucidation of cellular mechanisms. By using stable isotopes such as ²H, ¹³C, and ¹⁵N, MFA can identify and quantitatively estimate the metabolism through metabolic pathways by observing the position of the isotopic label along the metabolic pathways. ¹H and ¹³C NMR methods, as well as mass spectrometry methods, have been used for metabolic flux analysis. Recently, tandem mass spectrometry, emerged as a new analytical technique, aids to support additional information for high-resolution quantification of metabolic fluxes in complex biological systems.

Overview of Metabolomics Flux Analysis Service

Creative proteomics has developed a novel metabolic flux analysis platform, which allows for the determination of control structure and metabolic pathway regulation network. One of the promising advantages of our platform includes regulatory information crucial for understanding dynamic systems. This analytical platform is widely applicable to any metabolic system that can be depicted by kinetic modeling. Our approach is composed of several integrated quantitative methodologies, including a detailed computational dynamic model accounting for regulatory interactions.

Creative Proteomics provides unmatched metabolic flux analysis services to help accelerate your research. Our services include:

• Experimental Design. We can design experiments tailed to meet your study objects and purposes.
• Sample Analysis. We can provide analysis of general trends in metabolomic flux, such as glucose metabolic flux, glutamine flux, citric acid cycle (TCA cycle) metabolic flux, etc.
• Data analysis. We provide raw data processing from MS, flux analysis using proprietary software to quantify fluxes and interpret results.

We have various methods for metabolic flux analysis, including but not limited to:

• ¹³C-metabolic flux analysis (¹³C-MFA)
• ¹³C dynamic metabolic flux analysis (¹³C-DMFA)
• Dynamic metabolic flux analysis (DMFA)
• Stoichiometric metabolic flux analysis
• Isotopic non-stationary ¹³C metabolic (¹³C-NMFA)

Advantages of Metabolic Flux Analysis

At Creative Proteomics, whether you want to analyze the general trends in metabolomic flux or a given pathway, we can guarantee the data to meet your needs.

• Employ the most sophisticated quantitative approaches to ensure the maximal coverage of pathways of interest
• Obtain specific and reliable data for quantifying specific reactions with confidence
• Discovery and implement high resolution approaches to flux analysis

Common Sample Types

Various types of cells, tissues and microbial organisms, culture media or fermentation broth.

Coverage Pathways

1. Glycolytic pathway
2. Tricarboxylic acid cycle pathway
3. Pentose phosphate pathway
4. Amino acid metabolism (Glutamine, Serine, Tryptophan, Leucine, lsoleucine and Valine, etc.)
5. Fatty acid metabolism
6. One-carbon metabolism (folic acid metabolism, methionine cycle)
7. Nucleotide metabolism
8. NADPH and other energy metabolic pathways

For other metabolic pathways or metabolites of interest, please contact us.

Based on high-performance quantitative techniques, Creative Proteomics can provide metabolic flux analysis solutions without compromising on data completeness. As every project has different requirements, please contact our specialists to discuss your specific needs. We are looking forward to cooperating with you.

Reference

1. Antoniewicz M R. Methods and advances in metabolic flux analysis: a mini-review. Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology, 2015, 42(3): 317-325.