Effects of the changes in enzyme activities on metabolic flux redistribution around the 2-oxoglutarate branch in glutamate production by Corynebacterium glutamicum

An experimental method for metabolic control analysis (MCA) was applied to the investigation of a metabolic network of glutamate production by Corynebacterium glutamicum. A metabolic reaction (MR) model was constructed and used for flux distribution analysis (MFA). The flux distribution at a key branch point, 2-oxoglutarate, was investigated in detail. Activities of isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (ODHC) around this the branch point were changed, using two genetically engineered strains (one with enhanced ICDH activity and the other with enhanced GDH activity) and by controlling environmental conditions (i.e. biotin-deficient conditions). The mole flux distribution was determined by an MR model, and the effects of the changes in the enzyme activities on the mole flux distribution were compared. Even though both GDH and ICDH activities were enhanced, the mole flux distribution was not significantly changed. When the ODHC activity was attenuated, the flux through ODHC decreased, and glutamate production was markedly increased. The flux control coefficients of the above three enzymes for glutamate production were determined based on changes in enzyme activities and the mole flux distributions. It was found that the factor with greatest impact on glutamate production in the metabolic network was obtained by attenuation of ODHC activity.