Metabonomics involves the unbiased quantitative and qualitative analysis of the complete set of metabolites present in cells, body fluids and tissues (the metabolome) based on modern analytic technique with high throughput, high sensitivity, and high resolution. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used to gain qualitative results of detected metabolites for biological samples as it provides superior distinguishability, detection sensitivity and integrated standard mass spectrometry library. In this article, the historic developments of GC-MS and its application in metabonomics in the past several years were reviewed. Firstly, the classification and the derivative methods of GC-MS were introduced. Subsequently, sample pretreatment process, qualitative and quantitative analysis and data analysis during detecting metabolites by GC-MS were introduced, then its application in microorganism, plant and disease diagnosis was systematically summarized. Finally, the problems in metabonomics study based on GC-MS and the research prospect in the future were discussed.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Metabolomics ; methods

Docosahexenoic acid (DHA) is an important polyunsaturated fatty acid which is beneficial to human health. Compared with the DHA derived from fish oil, DHA by microbial production possesses many advantages, and has a bright prospect. In this article, we reviewed strains, metabolic pathway, key enzymes and mechanism of lipid accumulation for microbial production of DHA. Those information would be greatly helpful for further improving DHA production by metabolic engineering.
Docosahexaenoic Acids ; biosynthesis ; Eukaryota ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Industrial Microbiology ; methods ; Metabolic Engineering ; methods