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Microorganisms
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Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry
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Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 9777

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Karim Fahmy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
HZDR - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorfdisabled, Dresden, Germany
Interests: structural and dynamic aspects of biomembranes; conformational transitions in membrane proteins;interactions between (radio)metals and biomolecules; effects of metals and radionuclides on the metabolism of microorganisms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The measurement of heat released from metabolically active microorganisms has seen an unprecedented rise in sensitivity and technical versatility over the last two decades. Modern calorimeters enable the detection of the metabolic heat released from individual cells in nano-calorimeters, from suspensions of microorganisms or films on solid supports as well as from gross metabolic activity in liter-sized soil samples.

Despite the extremely high signal to noise ratio and the high temporal data density, the information content in calorimetric data is not easy to extract and difficult to compare between labs, due to the lack of standardized evaluation methods and the complexity of the underlying chemical processes. This notwithstanding, the high accuracy of calorimetric studies offers an enormous potential for more rigorous quantitative approaches, that go beyond discriminating metabolic states in a purely descriptive manner. Harnessing microbial heat production has proved particularly successful in studies of inhibitory effects on metabolism exerted by natural or synthetic compounds in environmental and medical studies.

The Special Issue fosters the advancement of quantitative calorimetric analyses of metabolic activities of microorganisms with the aim to provide well-defined toxicity measures for substances that interfere with microbial metabolism. Corresponding research comprises the risk assessment of environmental pollutants - particularly heavy metals and radionuclides - as well as monitoring the suppression of metabolic activity of human pathogens by pharmacologically relevant substances. The Special Issue welcomes studies that share a common interest in advancing calorimetric data analysis to derive well-defined toxicity measures.

Dr. Karim Fahmy
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microcalorimetry
  • nano-calorimetry
  • metabolic monitoring
  • metabolic heat
  • metabolism
  • bacterial growth
  • growth model
  • biochemical thermodynamics
  • heavy metal
  • radionuclide
  • radiotoxicity
  • toxicity
  • environmental pollutant
  • bio-geochemistry
  • antibiotic

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 574 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry”
by Daumantas Matulis, Lars Wadsö and Karim Fahmy
Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051204 - 04 May 2023
Viewed by 782
Abstract
In recent decades, the calorimetric monitoring of microbial metabolism, i [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

12 pages, 3083 KiB  
Article
Distinct Effects of Chemical Toxicity and Radioactivity on Metabolic Heat of Cultured Cells Revealed by “Isotope-Editing”
by Jana Oertel, Susanne Sachs, Katrin Flemming, Muhammad Hassan Obeid and Karim Fahmy
Microorganisms 2023, 11(3), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11030584 - 25 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1118
Abstract
Studying the toxicity of chemical compounds using isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC), which monitors the metabolic heat from living microorganisms, is a rapidly expanding field. The unprecedented sensitivity of IMC is particularly attractive for studies at low levels of stressors, where lethality-based data are inadequate. [...] Read more.
Studying the toxicity of chemical compounds using isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC), which monitors the metabolic heat from living microorganisms, is a rapidly expanding field. The unprecedented sensitivity of IMC is particularly attractive for studies at low levels of stressors, where lethality-based data are inadequate. We have revealed via IMC the effect of low dose rates from radioactive β−-decay on bacterial metabolism. The low dose rate regime (<400 µGyh−1) is typical of radioactively contaminated environmental sites, where chemical toxicity and radioactivity-mediated effects coexist without a predominance or specific characteristic of either of them. We found that IMC allows distinguishing the two sources of metabolic interference on the basis of “isotope-editing” and advanced thermogram analyses. The stable and radioactive europium isotopes 153Eu and 152Eu, respectively, were employed in monitoring Lactococcus lactis cultures via IMC. β−-emission (electrons) was found to increase initial culture growth by increased nutrient uptake efficiency, which compensates for a reduced maximal cell division rate. Direct adsorption of the radionuclide to the biomass, revealed by mass spectrometry, is critical for both the initial stress response and the “dilution” of radioactivity-mediated damage at later culture stages, which are dominated by the chemical toxicity of Eu. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry)
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18 pages, 12396 KiB  
Article
Fungal Lignocellulose Utilisation Strategies from a Bioenergetic Perspective: Quantification of Related Functional Traits Using Biocalorimetry
by Hieu Linh Duong, Sven Paufler, Hauke Harms, Dietmar Schlosser and Thomas Maskow
Microorganisms 2022, 10(8), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10081675 - 19 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated whether a non-invasive metabolic heat flux analysis could serve the determination of the functional traits in free-living saprotrophic decomposer fungi and aid the prediction of fungal influences on ecosystem processes. For this, seven fungi, including ascomycete, basidiomycete, [...] Read more.
In the present study, we investigated whether a non-invasive metabolic heat flux analysis could serve the determination of the functional traits in free-living saprotrophic decomposer fungi and aid the prediction of fungal influences on ecosystem processes. For this, seven fungi, including ascomycete, basidiomycete, and zygomycete species, were investigated in a standardised laboratory environment, employing wheat straw as a globally relevant lignocellulosic substrate. Our study demonstrates that biocalorimetry can be employed successfully to determine growth-related fungal activity parameters, such as apparent maximum growth rates (AMGR), cultivation times until the observable onset of fungal growth at AMGR (tAMGR), quotients formed from the AMGR and tAMGR (herein referred to as competitive growth potential, CGP), and heat yield coefficients (YQ/X), the latter indicating the degree of resource investment into fungal biomass versus other functional attributes. These parameters seem suitable to link fungal potentials for biomass production to corresponding ecological strategies employed during resource utilisation, and therefore may be considered as fungal life history traits. A close connection exists between the CGP and YQ/X values, which suggests an interpretation that relates to fungal life history strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry)
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20 pages, 2423 KiB  
Article
Simple Growth–Metabolism Relations Are Revealed by Conserved Patterns of Heat Flow from Cultured Microorganisms
by Karim Fahmy
Microorganisms 2022, 10(7), 1397; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071397 - 11 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1516
Abstract
Quantitative analyses of cell replication address the connection between metabolism and growth. Various growth models approximate time-dependent cell numbers in culture media, but physiological implications of the parametrizations are vague. In contrast, isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) measures with unprecedented sensitivity the heat (enthalpy) release [...] Read more.
Quantitative analyses of cell replication address the connection between metabolism and growth. Various growth models approximate time-dependent cell numbers in culture media, but physiological implications of the parametrizations are vague. In contrast, isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) measures with unprecedented sensitivity the heat (enthalpy) release via chemical turnover in metabolizing cells. Hence, the metabolic activity can be studied independently of modeling the time-dependence of cell numbers. Unexpectedly, IMC traces of various origins exhibit conserved patterns when expressed in the enthalpy domain rather than the time domain, as exemplified by cultures of Lactococcus lactis (prokaryote), Trypanosoma congolese (protozoan) and non-growing Brassica napus (plant) cells. The data comply extraordinarily well with a dynamic Langmuir adsorption reaction model of nutrient uptake and catalytic turnover generalized here to the non-constancy of catalytic capacity. Formal relations to Michaelis–Menten kinetics and common analytical growth models are briefly discussed. The proposed formalism reproduces the “life span” of cultured microorganisms from exponential growth to metabolic decline by a succession of distinct metabolic phases following remarkably simple nutrient–metabolism relations. The analysis enables the development of advanced enzyme network models of unbalanced growth and has fundamental consequences for the derivation of toxicity measures and the transferability of metabolic activity data between laboratories. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry)
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13 pages, 1994 KiB  
Article
A Method to Determine the Efficacy of a Commercial Phage Preparation against Uropathogens in Urine and Artificial Urine Determined by Isothermal Microcalorimetry
by Aurelia Pahnita Sigg, Max Mariotti, Anabel E. Grütter, Tecla Lafranca, Lorenz Leitner, Gernot Bonkat and Olivier Braissant
Microorganisms 2022, 10(5), 845; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10050845 - 20 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2016
Abstract
Background: Urinary tract infections are commonly encountered and often treated with antibiotics. However, the inappropriate use of the latter has led to the appearance of resistant strains. In this context we investigate the use of calorimetry to rapidly determine if a phage cocktail [...] Read more.
Background: Urinary tract infections are commonly encountered and often treated with antibiotics. However, the inappropriate use of the latter has led to the appearance of resistant strains. In this context we investigate the use of calorimetry to rapidly determine if a phage cocktail can be used as alternative to antibiotics. Methods: We used a commercially available phage cocktail from an online pharmacy and tested it against a strain of Escherichia coli and a strain of Proteus mirabilis. We used isothermal microcalorimetry to follow the metabolic activity of the bacterial culture treated with the phage cocktail. Results: Isothermal microcalorimetry was able to follow the dynamic of the bacterial metabolic activity reduction by the phage cocktail. Both pathogens were strongly inhibited; however, some regrowth was observed for E. coli in urine. Conclusions: Isothermal microcalorimetry proved to be a valuable technique when investigating the efficacy of phage cocktails against uropathogens. We foresee that isothermal microcalorimetry could be used to obtain rapid phagograms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry)
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9 pages, 6047 KiB  
Article
Detection and Drug Susceptibility Testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Using Isothermal Microcalorimetry
by Anabel E. Grütter, Tecla Lafranca, Aurelia Pahnita Sigg, Max Mariotti, Gernot Bonkat and Olivier Braissant
Microorganisms 2021, 9(11), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9112337 - 11 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1749
Abstract
Background: Gonorrhea is a frequently encountered sexually transmitted disease that results in urethritis and can further lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and possibly disseminated gonococcal infections. Thus, it must be diagnosed promptly and accurately. In addition, drug susceptibility testing should be performed [...] Read more.
Background: Gonorrhea is a frequently encountered sexually transmitted disease that results in urethritis and can further lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and possibly disseminated gonococcal infections. Thus, it must be diagnosed promptly and accurately. In addition, drug susceptibility testing should be performed rapidly as well. Unfortunately, Neisseria gonorrhoea is a fastidious microorganism that is difficult to grow and requires culturing in an opaque medium. Methods: Here, we used isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) to monitor the growth and the antimicrobial susceptibility of N. gonorrhoea. Results: Using IMC, concentrations of N. gonorrhoea between 2000 and 1 CFU·mL−1 were detected within 12 to 33 h. In addition, drug susceptibility could be monitored easily. Conclusions: The use of isothermal microcalorimetry provides an interesting and useful tool to detect and characterize fastidious microbes such as N. gonorrhoea that require media incompatible with optical detection conventionally used in many commercial systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Monitoring Metabolic Activities of Microorganisms by Calorimetry)
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