Inside the microbial black box: a redox-centric framework for deciphering microbial metabolism

John A. Bouranis, Malak M. Tfaily

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microbial metabolism influences the global climate and human health and is governed by the balance between NADH and NAD+ through redox reactions. Historically, oxidative (i.e., catabolism) and reductive (i.e., fermentation) pathways have been studied in isolation, obscuring the complete metabolic picture. However, new omics technologies and biotechnological tools now allow an integrated system-level understanding of the drivers of microbial metabolism through observation and manipulation of redox reactions. Here we present perspectives on the importance of viewing microbial metabolism as the dynamic interplay between oxidative and reductive processes and apply this framework to diverse microbial systems. Additionally, we highlight novel biotechnologies to monitor and manipulate microbial redox status to control metabolism in unprecedented ways. This redox-focused systems biology framework enables a more mechanistic understanding of microbial metabolism.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1170-1178
Number of pages9
JournalTrends in Microbiology
Volume32
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2024

Keywords

  • NADH
  • biogeochemical cycling
  • metabolism
  • microbiome
  • redox

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Microbiology
  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Inside the microbial black box: a redox-centric framework for deciphering microbial metabolism'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this