Gao Yang, Luo Mingdu, Wang Hongmiao, Zhou Zhiwei, Yin Yandong, Wang Ruohong, Xing Beizi, Yang Xiaohua, Cai Yuping, Zhu Zheng-Jiang
Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Nat Commun. 2025 May 31;16(1):5059. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60258-7.
Metabolic reactions play important roles in organisms such as providing energy, transmitting signals, and synthesizing biomacromolecules. Charting unknown metabolic reactions in cells is hindered by limited technologies, restricting the holistic understanding of cellular metabolism. Using mass spectrometry-resolved stable-isotope tracing metabolomics, we develop an isotopologue similarity networking strategy, namely IsoNet, to effectively deduce previously unknown metabolic reactions. The strategy uncovers ~300 previously unknown metabolic reactions in living cells and mice. Specifically, we elaborately chart the metabolic reaction network related to glutathione, unveiling three previously unreported reactions nestled within glutathione metabolism. Among these, a transsulfuration reaction, synthesizing γ-glutamyl-seryl-glycine directly from glutathione, underscores the role of glutathione as a sulfur donor. Functional metabolomics studies systematically characterize biochemical effects of previously unknown reactions in glutathione metabolism, showcasing their diverse functions in regulating cellular metabolism. Overall, these newly uncovered metabolic reactions fill gaps in the metabolic network maps, facilitating exploration of uncharted territories in cellular biochemistry.
代谢反应在生物体中发挥着重要作用,如提供能量、传递信号和合成生物大分子。由于技术有限,绘制细胞中未知的代谢反应受到阻碍,限制了对细胞代谢的整体理解。利用质谱解析的稳定同位素示踪代谢组学,我们开发了一种同位素类似物相似性网络策略,即IsoNet,以有效地推断先前未知的代谢反应。该策略揭示了活细胞和小鼠中约300个先前未知的代谢反应。具体而言,我们精心绘制了与谷胱甘肽相关的代谢反应网络,揭示了谷胱甘肽代谢中三个先前未报道的反应。其中,一种转硫反应直接从谷胱甘肽合成γ-谷氨酰-丝氨酰-甘氨酸,突出了谷胱甘肽作为硫供体的作用。功能代谢组学研究系统地表征了谷胱甘肽代谢中先前未知反应的生化效应,展示了它们在调节细胞代谢中的多种功能。总体而言,这些新发现的代谢反应填补了代谢网络图中的空白,有助于探索细胞生物化学中未知的领域。
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