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What Is Metabolomics
Metabolomics refers to the systematic identification and quantification of the metabolome of a biological system at a specific point in time. And metabolome means the complete set of small-molecule chemicals found within a biological sample. Its main goal is to qualitatively and quantitatively study the diverse dynamic responses of living organisms to external stimuli, physiological and pathological changes, and genetic mutations, focusing on the levels of endogenous metabolites. The research primarily involves small molecule substances with a relative molecular mass ≤1000 Da, such as organic acids, amino acids, nucleotides, sugars, lipids, vitamins, etc.
Advantages of Metabolomics
Small changes in gene and protein expression can be amplified in metabolites, making detection easier.
Metabolomics research does not require the establishment of databases for whole genome sequencing or large-scale expressed sequence tags (ESTs).
The number of metabolites studied is much smaller than the number of proteins; the quantity of metabolites varies significantly among species: plants (200,000 species), animals (2,500 species), microorganisms (1,500 species).
The techniques used in this research are more versatile.
Metabolomics Service at Creative Proteomics
At Creative Proteomics, we can provide a wide range of metabolomics services from discovery to targeted analysis.
As the platform construction and project accumulation progressed, Creative Proteomics has established a metabolite library of nearly 4000 standard compounds on its metabolomics platform. The company boasts a professional metabolomics team and a comprehensive detection and management platform.
- Targeted Metabolic Pathways
- Targeted Metabolites
- Oxylipins
- Acylcarnitine
- Acyl CoAs
- dNTP,cdAMP
- Nucleoside/Nucleotide
- NAD Metabolites
- Neurotransmitters
- Low Molecular Weight Sugars
- Meat Biomarkers(TMAO)
- High-Value Disease Biomarkers
- Nucleotide Sugars
- Ketone Bodies
- Isoprostanes
- Mevalonic Acid
- Phenolic Acids
- Pipecolic Acid
- Plasmalogens
- Biliverdin(BV)Isomers
- Phosphorylated Compounds
- Quinolones
- Glucosylceramide
- Malondialdehyde
- Methylmalonic Acid
- 8-OHdG
- Glucosylsphingosine
- SAM and SAH
- Ubiquinone
- Glycosaminoglycans
- Polyols
- Respiratory Quinones
- DAP
- NADP
- Amino Acids Analysis Solution
- Vitamins Analysis Solution
- Inorganic Compounds
- Oxidative Stress Compounds
- Organic Acid Analysis Solution
- Malic Acid
- Oxalic Acid
- Quinic Acid
- Citric Acid
- Malonic Acid
- Succinic Acid
- Acetic Acid
- Lactic Acid
- Pyruvic Acid
- Shikimic Acid
- α-ketoglutaric Acid
- Cinnamic Acid
- Fumaric Acid
- Glyoxylic Acid
- Ferulic Acid
- Isoferulic Acid
- Tartaric Acid
- Glycolic Acid
- Aconitic Acid
- Formic Acid
- Propanoic Acid
- Butyric Acid
- Isobutyric Acid
- Valeric Acid
- Isovaleric Acid
- Maleic Acid
- Organic Compounds
- Plant Metabolites
- Plant Hormones Analysis Solution
- Coenzyme I Analysis Solution
- Biogenic Amine Analysis Solution
- Anthocyanins Analysis Solution
- Animal Hormones Analysis Solution
- Carbohydrate Metabolism Analysis Solution
- Adenosine Triphosphate Analysis Solution
- Signaling Molecule Analysis Solution
- cAMP
- Cryptotanshinone
- Tanshinone I
- Salvianolic Acid B
- Salvianolic Acid A
- Agrochemical
- Emerging Contaminants
- Drinking Water
- Environment Health
- Soil and Biota
- Unknown Surveillance
- Water Quality
- Disinfection By-Products
- Endocrine Disruptors
- Consumer Chemicals
- Natural and Freshwater Toxin
- Persistent Organic Pollutants
- Pesticide and Herbicide
- Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products
Metabolomics Research Platforms
Commonly used research platforms in metabolomics include Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Among them, GC-MS is more suitable for analyzing volatile substances, while LC-MS is more suitable for analyzing polar molecules, which is currently more commonly used in metabolomics.
| Platform | Applicable Sample Types | Sensitivity | Quantitative Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| NMR | Few and Complex Substances | 10^-6 | Targeted Analysis - Absolute Quantification Segmental Integration - Relative Quantification |
| GC-MS | Small Molecules, Volatile Substances | 10^-9 | Broad Screening: Provides Relative Quantification Targeted Analysis: Standard Samples - Absolute Quantification |
| LC-MS | Unstable and Non-volatile Substances | 10^-9 | Broad Screening: Provides Relative Quantification Targeted Analysis: Standard Samples - Absolute Quantification |
Applications of Metabolomics
Our metabolomics services can be applied to various fields, including but not limited to the agricultural industry, food industry, biomedical area, and pharmaceutical area.
- Agricultural industry: plant metabolomics, the development of new pesticides, etc
- Food industry: fruits, vegetables, dairy products, olive oil, etc
- Biomedical area: metabolomic profiling, biomarker discovery, etc
- Pharmaceutical area: drug toxicity, drug metabolism, etc
Advantages Our Metabolomics Service
- The compounds we test are widely covered, ranging from small water-soluble molecules to large lipids.
- We can analyze any biological materials, including but not limited to biofluids and tissues from animals, cell cultures and humans.
- A comprehensive platform contains advanced instruments, including MS, GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR, and so on.
- A complete analysis report is offered, including method interpretation, data, and result files.
Our experts with years of experience in metabolomics, bioinformatics, statistics and various application fields ranging from food to pharmacy can help you plan, conduct, and report your metabolomics studies. Whether you want to study the whole metabolome, complex lipids, or just a few metabolites or pathways, we will closely work with you to define research purpose and develop customized plans. If you have any questions or specific requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Case: Effects of underfeeding and oral vancomycin on gut microbiome and nutrient absorption in humans
Journal: Nature Medicine
Impact Factor:30.641
Published: 2020
Research Background:
The global obesity epidemic has prompted efforts to identify environmental and host factors that influence energy balance, defined as the balance between energy intake and expenditure. While caloric expenditure is a key determinant of energy intake, the extent of individual differences in the digestion and absorption of dietary substrates may also impact energy balance. Human data indicates that energy loss in feces accounts for approximately 2% to 9% of caloric intake. However, the mechanisms underlying this variation and its physiological relevance are still poorly understood.
Research Materials:
Subjects: 51 healthy volunteers were screened, and 27 participants underwent the clinical trial (31 days), ultimately 23 participants were included in the data analysis (4 participants were excluded from the analysis due to unclear descriptions of dietary cycles). Phase 1: Overfeeding and diet restriction interventions; Phase 2: Interventions with vancomycin or placebo (NCT02037295). Sample types: Plasma, feces, and urine samples. Research Techniques: 16S rRNA sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, targeted metabolomics.
Conclusion:
This study utilized both dietary and antibiotic interventions to investigate the impact of nutritional deficiency and antibiotics on the ratio of energy intake and loss. By combining 16S rRNA, metagenomic, and targeted metabolomics techniques, the study further elucidated the molecular regulatory mechanisms of gut bacteria and metabolites in energy loss. It revealed how nutritional deficiency and antibiotics influence the diversity and compositional structure of the human gut microbiota and regulate the state of nutrient absorption through microbial metabolites and the modulation of gut barrier function.
Results:
The researchers employed 16S rRNA combined with metagenomic techniques to assess the impact of dietary and antibiotic interventions on the gut microbial community structure. They found that dietary intervention had a relatively small effect on the gut microbiota structure, whereas antibiotic intervention (vancomycin) had a more significant impact on the gut microbiota structure, and both sequencing results were consistent.
Using targeted metabolomics, changes in the content of short-chain fatty acids and bile acids in the host's blood plasma were detected after the interventions. The results revealed the following findings: during the diet restriction phase (OF), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and leptin significantly increased, while during the overfeeding phase (UF), glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) significantly decreased. Butyrate levels significantly decreased during UF and after oral vancomycin administration. Additionally, secondary bile acid deoxycholic acid significantly decreased after both interventions. Butyrate is the end product of gut microbial metabolism, and its plasma levels serve as an indicator of the gut microbiota's utilization capacity of ingested nutrients.
Reference
- Basolo A, Hohenadel M, Ang Q Y, et al. Effects of underfeeding and oral vancomycin on gut microbiome and nutrient absorption in humans. Nature medicine, 2020, 26(4): 589-598.
