Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,234 studies31 sourcesUpdated 6 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0mBio

Metabolomics in microbiology: interrogating microbial physiology and interactions

  • Mónica Monge-Loría1
  • Andrew C. McAvoy1
  • Neha Garg1,2
  1. 1School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology
  2. 2Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology
Open at sourcePDFDOICite

Abstract

Metabolomics provides a direct window into microbial function by capturing the small molecules that reflect cellular activity and microbial interactions. Here, we highlight its diverse applications for microbiologists across both in vitro and in vivo models under dynamic biological and nutritional conditions, including variations in community complexity, medium composition, and exposure to exogenous compounds such as antibiotics. Through representative case studies, we demonstrate how metabolomics provides critical insights into microbial physiology and inter-organismal interactions. We also showcase examples of multiomics integration, in which metabolomics is combined with complementary approaches to enhance data interpretation and strengthen biological conclusions. Finally, we discuss key challenges in metabolomics data analysis and highlight emerging strategies to overcome these limitations.

Related

  1. Osteocyte-vascular Interactions in Bone Physiology and Pathology
    Léa Gellée, Delphine Maurel
    Current Osteoporosis ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textMolecular biology & gene regulationHAL
  2. Synthesis-driven reverse metabolomics reveals 3-hydroxy N-acyl amides as gut microbial molecules
    Victoria Deleray, Vincent Charron-Lamoureux, Kyle Vittali +6
    mSystemsPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full text1 citedMolecular biology & gene regulationPMC
  3. Microbial cues and T cell immunity: deciphering their interactions in chronic liver disease
    Yinuo Liu, Baichao Yu, Qiaoyan Liu +2
    Experimental & Molecular MedicinePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textMolecular biology & gene regulationPMC
  4. Microbial communication networks governing the ecosystem dynamics of Salmonella in poultry environments: ecological interactions, colonization resistance, and emerging control strategies
    M. Naeem
    Frontiers in BioinformaticsPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textMolecular biology & gene regulationGeneral medicineDOAJ
  5. Fresh and Fermented Beetroot: From Microbial Biotransformation to Nitrate-Nitrite-NO Signalling, Redox Homeostasis and Microbiome Interactions.
    Halina Tkaczenko, Anna Rymuszka, Renata Kołodziejska +1
    International journal of molecular sciencesPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral biochemistryEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{mongeloria2026metabolomics,
  title = {{Metabolomics in microbiology: interrogating microbial physiology and interactions}},
  author = {Mónica Monge-Loría and Andrew C. McAvoy and Neha Garg},
  journal = {mBio},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1128/mbio.01913-26},
  url = {https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01913-26},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Metabolomics in microbiology: interrogating microbial physiology and interactions
AU  - Mónica Monge-Loría
AU  - Andrew C. McAvoy
AU  - Neha Garg
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/05
JO  - mBio
DO  - 10.1128/mbio.01913-26
UR  - https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mbio.01913-26
AB  - Metabolomics provides a direct window into microbial function by capturing the small molecules that reflect cellular activity and microbial interactions. Here, we highlight its diverse applications for microbiologists across both in vitro and in vivo models under dynamic biological and nutritional conditions, including variations in community complexity, medium composition, and exposure to exogenous compounds such as antibiotics. Through representative case studies, we demonstrate how metabolomics provides critical insights into microbial physiology and inter-organismal interactions. We also showcase examples of multiomics integration, in which metabolomics is combined with complementary approaches to enhance data interpretation and strengthen biological conclusions. Finally, we discuss key challenges in metabolomics data analysis and highlight emerging strategies to overcome these limitations.
SN  - 2150-7511
ER  -