Abstract
This chapter provides step-by-step methods for building secondary metabolic pathway-targeted molecular networks to assess microbial natural product biosynthesis at a systems level and to aid in downstream natural product discovery efforts. Methods described include high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based comparative metabolomics, pathway-targeted tandem MS (MS/MS) molecular networking, and isotopic labeling for the elucidation of natural products encoded by orphan biosynthetic pathways. The metabolomics network workflow covers the following six points: (1) method development, (2) bacterial culture growth and organic extraction, (3) HRMS data acquisition and analysis, (4) pathway-targeted MS/MS data acquisition, (5) mass spectral network building, and (6) network enhancement. This chapter opens with a discussion on the practical considerations of natural product extraction, chromatographic processing, and enhanced detection of the analytes of interest within complex organic mixtures using liquid chromatography (LC)-HRMS. Next, we discuss the utilization of a chemometric platform, focusing on Agilent Mass Profiler Professional software, to run MS-based differential analysis between sample groups and controls to acquire a unique set of molecular features that are dependent on the presence of a secondary metabolic pathway. Using this unique list of molecular features, the chapter then details targeted MS/MS acquisition for subsequent pathway-dependent network clustering through the online Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GnPS) platform. Genetic information, ionization intensities, isotopic labeling, and additional experimental data can be mapped onto the pathway-dependent network, facilitating systems biosynthesis analyses. The finished product will provide a working molecular network to assess experimental perturbations and guide novel natural product discoveries.