Capturing the microbial volatilome: an oft overlooked 'ome'

Laura K Meredith; Malak M Tfaily

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2021.12.004

Capturing the microbial volatilome: an oft overlooked 'ome'

Trends Microbiol. 2022 Jul;30(7):622-631. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.12.004. Epub 2022 Jan 14.

Authors

Laura K Meredith¹, Malak M Tfaily²

Affiliations

¹ School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. Electronic address: laurameredith@arizona.edu.
² BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. Electronic address: tfaily@arizona.edu.

PMID: 35039213
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.12.004

Abstract

Among the diverse metabolites produced by microbial communities, some are volatile. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are vigorously cycled by microbes as metabolic substrates and products and as signaling molecules. Yet, current microbial metabolomic studies predominantly focus on nonvolatile metabolites and overlook VOCs, which therefore represent a missing component of the metabolome. Advances in VOC detection now allow simultaneous observation of the numerous VOCs constituting the 'volatilome' of microbial systems. We present a roadmap for integrating and advancing VOC and other 'omics approaches and highlight the potential for realtime VOC measurements to help overcome limitations in discrete 'omics sampling. Including volatile metabolites in metabolomics, both conceptually and in practice, will build a more comprehensive understanding of microbial processes across ecological communities.

Keywords: metabolome; microbe; realtime measurements; volatile organic compound; volatilome; ‘omics.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Metabolome
Metabolomics
Microbiota*
Volatile Organic Compounds* / metabolism

Substances

Volatile Organic Compounds