Microbial activities in environmental systems are controlled by both organic carbon and metal nutrients due to the requirement of carbon for biomass growth and metal cofactors in metabolic enzymes. Of special interest is how iron (Fe) limitation, which is ubiquitous in aerobic environments, influences organic carbon utilization by biogeochemically-important bacterial species. In this talk, I will present research of my group focused on elucidating carbon metabolism in Fe-limited <i>Pseudomonas </i>species. Soil <i>Pseudomonas</i> species, which include plant growth-promoting bacteria, can thrive in diverse nutritional environments due to their extensive metabolic capabilities. These species thus represent model candidates for understanding aerobic bacterial carbon cycling and exploiting new avenues for biotechnology including bioremediation and production of value-added chemicals. Using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approaches and stable isotope tracers, we investigate the cellular carbon metabolism in response to Fe limitation that facilitates the production of Fe-scavenging molecules (or siderophores), promotes dissolution of Fe-minerals, and exhibits selectivity in organic carbon utilization. Our findings shed light into how reprogramming in cellular carbon metabolism controls the coupling between metal availability and biosynthetic pathways.

Metabolomics-resolved nutrient-dependent carbon fluxes in a soil bacterium: Cellular insights on coupled iron and carbon cycles

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.