Special Issue "Feature Papers"

Guest Editor
Dr. Clare A. Daykin
Lecturer in Analytical Biosciences, Division of Molecular and Cellular Science, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
Website: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/Pharmacy/People/clare.daykin
E-Mail: clare.daykin@nottingham.ac.uk
Phone: +44 1159515052
Fax: +44 1159515102
Interests: metabolomics; metabonomics; metabolite-protein interactions; biological sample handling; NMR spectroscopy; chromatography

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to present this special issue of “Feature Papers” in the newly launched Metabolites journal.  Metabolites is a new, international, open-access and peer-reviewed Journal that publishes original research and scholarship contributing to the expanding field of metabolomics and our understanding of metabolism.  Metabolites intends to inform and to stimulate interest and debate in advancing the scientific basis of the discipline.

In recognition of this new beginning Metabolites will publish a “Feature Papers” Special Issue. The scope will fall within the range of the mission of the Journal, but is not limited to any particular themes. The following general topics indicate the possible scope of this special issue, but these are not intended to be all inclusive. They are: novel approaches and technology in metabolomics; advances in data processing and analysis; metabolomics and biomarker discovery; nutritional metabolomics; and plant and environmental metabolomics.

The deadline for submission is May 15^th 2012. We look forward with enthusiasm to hearing from you and thank you for supporting the Journal.

Dr. Clare A. Daykin
Guest Editor

Submission

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. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as 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 refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metabolites is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. For the first couple of issues the Article Processing Charge (APC) will be waived for well-prepared manuscripts. English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

• metabolomics
• metabonomics
• metabolic profiling
• metabolic fingerprints
• global profiling of metabolites
• metabolic phenotype
• biomarkers
• biofluids
• clinical metabolomics
• nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
• mass spectrometry
• multivariate data analysis

Type of Paper: Review
Title: AICAR, a Highly Conserved Purine Intermediate with Multiple Effects
Authors: Bertrand Daignan-Fornier ^1,2 and Benoît Pinson ^1,2
Affiliations: ¹ Univ. Bordeaux, IBGC, UMR 5095, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
² CNRS, IBGC, UMR 5095, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
Abstract: AICAR (5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleoside-5’ monophosphate) is a natural metabolic intermediate of purine biosynthesis that is present in all organisms. In yeast, AICAR plays important regulatory roles under physiological conditions notably through its direct interactions with transcription factors (Pinson et al. 2009, Genes Dev. 23, 1399-1407). In humans AICAR is accumulated in several metabolic diseases, but its contribution to the various symptoms is not yet elucidated. Besides, AICAR has highly promising properties which have been revealed recently. First it enhances endurance of sedentary mice (Narkar et al 2008, Cell 134, 405-15). Second, it has antiproliferative effects notably by specifically inducing apoptosis of aneuploid cells (Tang et al. 2011, Cell 144, 499-512). Some of the effects of AICAR are due to its ability to activate the AMP-dependent protein kinase but some others are not. It is thus clear that AICAR affects multiple targets although only few of them have been identified so far. This review proposes an overview of the field and suggests future directions.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Flow NMR Automation for Metabolomics
Author: Quincy Teng
Affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia, USA; E-mail: teng.quincy@epa.gov
Abstract: Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) are the two major spectroscopic techniques successfully used in metabolomics studies. The non-invasive, quantitative and reproducible characteristics of NMR spectroscopy make it an excellent technique for detection of endogenous metabolites and associated changes upon exposure to stressors. However, unlike MS, NMR spectroscopy is not highly automated. In recent years, there has been a greater demand to improve the throughput of NMR analysis partly due to the large number of samples requiring analysis for metabolomics research. Flow (or direct injection) NMR automation has been recognized to have great potential to meet this need because of its 96-well plate format. In flow NMR analysis, solution samples are transported individually to the NMR probe using an automated “flow through” system. Following NMR analysis, the sample is returned to its original well and another sample is analyzed after a washing cycle. Several methods have been developed for flow NMR analysis. This review outlines flow NMR methodologies and evaluates their practicality for metabolomics applications.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Metabolic Engineering of Asparagus Steroids
Authors: M. Sharma¹, A. Kumar¹ and S K Basu²
Affiliations: ¹Rajasthan Univ, India
²Lethbridge College, Canada
Abstract: Expanded knowledge of biotechnology and plant secondary metabolic pathways paves the way to develop new pharmaceutical compounds. In this context steroid obtain from Asparagus is of great importance. Manipulation in isoprenoid biosynthetic pathways at key regulatory rate limiting steps though inhibition, elicitation, biotransformation etc has been used widely to enhance the yield of valuable pharmaceutical compounds and produce new compounds. This review paper summarized the efforts done in metabolic engineering of Asparagus steroids and future aspects.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Metabolic Engineering of Asparagus Steroids
Authors: M. Sharma 1, A. Kumar¹ and S. K. Basu²
Affiliations: ¹Rajasthan Univ, India
²Lethbridge College, Canada
Abstract: Plant secondary metabolites are nonessential compounds of plant which generally take part in plant defense system. These compounds are used for the production of medicines, dyes, insecticides, flavors and fragrances. Therefore nowadays manipulation in plant metabolic pathway is favorite research topic with lots of possibilities. Altered secondary metabolism pathways reveal many obscure secrets of plant kingdom. It includes media optimization, elicitation, mutation, stress stimuli, biotransformation etc.  Purity and yield are the important parameters in adopting any new technique for production of secondary metabolites. Continuous synthesis and degradation of molecules in cell the through the enzymes are a complex process. Hence meticulous studies of genes are important for understanding different aspects of metabolic engineering. Through metabolic engineering plants can be changed in to biofactories based on the genetic configurations of the cell.

Type of Paper: Review
Title: L-Carnitine: An Antioxidant
Authors: Wei Zou¹ and Vladimir V. Tolstikov²
Affiliations: ¹Environmental Chemistry Lab Berkeley, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California State Government, 700 Heinz Ave, Suite 100, Berkeley, CA 94710, USA
²UC Davis Genome Center, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616-8816, USA
Abstract: L-Carnitine (CN) is suggested to function as an antioxidant other than its important role in the transfer of long-chain acyl group into the mitochondrial matrix. CN and acylcarnitine are shown to protect isolated perfused heart, cardiac microsomes, endothelial cell membranes, erythrocyte membrane, and LDL from peroxidation. CN exhibits a free radical scavenging activity, perhaps by directly chelating iron necessary for generation of hydroxyl radicals. CN and acylcarnitine are also suggested to be involved in reacylation and remodeling of membrane phospholipids (PL) to act as a secondary antioxidant to protect cell membrane.