Modelling and Analysis of Central Metabolism Operating Regulatory Interactions in Salt Stress Conditions in a L-Carnitine Overproducing E. coli Strain

Based on experimental data from E. coli cultures, we have devised a mathematical model in the GMA-power law formalism that describes the central and L-carnitine metabolism in and between two steady states, non-osmotic and hyperosmotic (0.3 M NaCl). A key feature of this model is the introduction of type of kinetic order, the osmotic stress kinetic orders (g(OSn)), derived from the power law general formalism, which represent the effect of osmotic stress in each metabolic process of the model. By considering the values of the g(OSn) linked to each metabolic process we found that osmotic stress has a positive and determinant influence on the increase in flux in energetic metabolism (glycolysis); L-carnitine biosynthesis production; the transformation/excretion of Acetyl-CoA into acetate and ethanol; the input flux of peptone into the cell; the anabolic use of pyruvate and biomass decomposition. In contrast, we found that although the osmotic stress has an inhibitory effect on the transformation flux from the glycolytic end products (pyruvate) to Acetyl-CoA, this inhibition is counteracted by other effects (the increase in pyruvate concentration) to the extent that the whole flux increases. In the same vein, the down regulation exerted by osmotic stress on fumarate uptake and its oxidation and the production and export of lactate and pyruvate are reversed by other factors up to the point that the first increased and the second remained unchanged. The model analysis shows that in osmotic conditions the energy and fermentation pathways undergo substantial rearrangement. This is illustrated by the observation that the increase in the fermentation fluxes is not connected with fluxes towards the tricaboxylic acid intermediates and the synthesis of biomass. The osmotic stress associated with these fluxes reflects these changes. All these observations support that the responses to salt stress observed in E. coli might be conserved in halophiles. Flux evolution during osmotic adaptations showed a hyperbolic (increasing or decreasing) pattern except in the case of peptone and fumarate uptake by the cell, which initially decreased. Finally, the model also throws light on the role of L-carnitine as osmoprotectant.