Mapping of carbon flow distribution in the central metabolic pathways of Clostridium cellulolyticum: Direct comparison of bacterial metabolism with a soluble-versus an insoluble-carbon source

Metabolic flux analysis was established by adapting previous stoichiometric model developed during growth with cellulose to cell grown with cellobiose for further direct comparison of the bacterial metabolism. In carbon limitation with cellobiose, a shift from acetate-ethanol fermentation to ethanol-lactate fermentation is observed and the pyruvate overflow is much higher than with cellulose. In nitrogen limitation with cellobiose, the cellodextrin and exopolysaccharide overflows are much higher than on cellulose. In carbon and nitrogen saturation with cellobiose, the cellodextrin, exopolysaccharide, and free amino acids overflows reach the highest levels observed but all remain limited on cellulose. By completely shunting the cellulosome, the use of cellobiose allows to reach much higher carbon consumption rates which, in return, highlights the metabolic limitation of C cellulolyticum. Therefore, the physical nature of the carbon source has a profound impact on the metabolism of C cellulolyticum and most probably of other cellulolytic bacteria. For cellulolytic bacteria, the use of soluble carbon substrate must carefully be taken into consideration for the interpretation of results. Direct comparison of metabolic flux analysis from cellobiose and cellulose revealed the importance of cellulosome, phosphoglucomutase and pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase in the distribution of carbon flow in the central metabolism. In the light of these findings, future directions for improvement of cellulose catabolism by this bacterium are discussed.