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Book Description:

Metabolic engineering is a new field with applications in the production of chemicals, fuels, materials, pharmaceuticals, and medicine at the genetic level. The field's novelty is in the synthesis of molecular biology techniques and the tools of mathematical analysis, which allow rational selection of targets for genetic modification through measurements and control of metabolic fluxes. The objective is to identify specific genetics or environmental manipulations that result in improvements in yield and productivities of biotechnological processes. Key features of the book are pathway integration and the focus on metabolic flux as a fundamental determinant of cell physiology. The book keeps athematical complexity to a minimum, and provides a glossary of biological terms to facilitate use of the book by a broader spectrum of readers. A web page exists to communicate updates of the codes and homework problems.

Synopsis:

In contrast to the growth in genetic engineering, relatively little progress has been made in the analysis of metabolic pathways for the directed modification and improvement of cellular properties and metabolite production. Effective pathway modification requires analytical methods to quantify metabolic fluxes and their control, and precise molecular biological techniques to implement changes at the genetic level. This book is an attempt to bridge this gap by presenting the methods and goals of the emerging interdisciplinary field of metabolic engineering. This first part of the book is a comprehensive review of cellular metabolism including metabolic pathway regulation, stoichiometries, material balances, and models of cellular reactions. The result is a quantitative picture of metabolic biochemistry. The next part deals with pathway construction, stoichiometry, kinetics and thermodynamics. The key topics of pathway fluxes and flux control are examined in terms of metabolic flux analysis. Pathway thermodynamics begins with an application of classical thermodynamics to sequences of reactions and concludes with the use of thermokinetics and irreversible thermodynamics to the description of pathway control.

Table of Contents:

The Essence of Metabolic Engineering. Review of Cellular Metabolism. Comprehensive Models for Cellular Reactions. Material Balances and Data Consistency. Regulation of Metabolic Pathways. Examples of Pathway Manipulations: Metabolic Engineering in Practice. Metabolic Pathway Synthesis. Metabolic Flux Analysis. Methods for the Experimental Determination of Metabolic Fluxes by Isotope Labeling. Applications of Metabolic Flux Analysis. Metabolic Control Analysis. Analysis of Structure of Metabolic Networks. Flux Analysis of Metabolic Networks. Thermodynamics of Cellular Processes. Glossary. Subject Index.