Ultrahigh resolution metabolomics for S-containing metabolites

• The targeted metabolomic analysis S-omics was developed for S-containing metabolites (S-metabolites).
• Differences among stable isotopes of 32S and 34S are key for S-omics.
• Known S-metabolites were characterized using S-omics.
• A new S-metabolite asparaptine was found in Asparagus officinalis using S-omics.
• S-omics streamlines to unearth S-metabolites in metabolome resources.

The advent of the genome-editing era greatly increases the opportunities for synthetic biology research that aims to enhance production of potentially useful bioactive metabolites in heterologous hosts. A wide variety of sulfur (S)-containing metabolites (S-metabolites) are known to possess bioactivities and health-promoting properties, but finding them and their chemical assignment using mass spectrometry-based metabolomics has been difficult. In this review, we highlight recent advances on the targeted metabolomic analysis of S-metabolites (S-omics) in plants using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. The use of exact mass and signal intensity differences between 32S-containing monoisotopic ions and counterpart 34S isotopic ions exploits an entirely new method to characterize S-metabolites. Finally, we discuss the availability of S-omics for synthetic biology.

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