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Comparative metabolomic analysis on industrial continuous and batch ethanol fermentation processes by GC-TOF-MS

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Abstract

The intracellular metabolic profile characterization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae throughout industrial ethanol fermentation was investigated using gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A total of 143 and 128 intracellular metabolites in S. cerevisiae were detected and quantified in continuous and batch fermentations, respectively. The two fermentation processes were both clearly distinguished into three main phases by principal components analysis. Furthermore, the levels of some metabolites involved in central carbon metabolism varied significantly throughout both processes. Glycerol and phosphoric acid were principally responsible for discriminating seed, main and final phases of continuous fermentation, while lactic acid and glycerol contributed mostly to telling different phases of batch fermentation. In addition, the levels of some amino acids such as glycine varied significantly during both processes. These findings provide new insights into the metabolomic characteristics during industrial ethanol fermentation processes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Key Program Grant No.20736006), the National Basic Research Program of China (Program: 2007CB714301), and Key Projects in the National Science & Technology Pillar Program (No.2007BAD42B02), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20706044).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, P. O. Box 6888, Tianjin, 300072, People’s Republic of China

    Ming-Zhu Ding, Jing-Sheng Cheng, Wen-Hai Xiao, Bin Qiao & Ying-Jin Yuan

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  1. Ming-Zhu Ding
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  2. Jing-Sheng Cheng
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Correspondence to Ying-Jin Yuan.

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Ding, MZ., Cheng, JS., Xiao, WH. et al. Comparative metabolomic analysis on industrial continuous and batch ethanol fermentation processes by GC-TOF-MS. Metabolomics 5, 229–238 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-008-0145-z

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