Redirecting metabolic flux in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through regulation of cofactors in UMP production

Although it is generally known that cofactors play a major role in the production of different fermentation products, their role has not been thoroughly and systematically studied. To understand the impact of cofactors on physiological functions, a systematic approach was applied, which involved redox state analysis, energy charge analysis, and metabolite analysis. Using uridine 5′-monophosphate metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model, we demonstrated that regulation of intracellular the ratio of NADPH to NADP⁺ not only redistributed the carbon flux between the glycolytic and pentose phosphate pathways, but also regulated the redox state of NAD(H), resulting in a significant change of ATP, and a significantly altered spectrum of metabolic products.