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Oxalate-degrading Providencia rettgeri isolated from human stools
Sanehiro Hokama1, Claudia Toma, Masaaki Iwanaga
1Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan. hokama@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Summary
Novel oxalate-degrading bacteria, including Providencia rettgeri, were isolated from human stools. These bacteria metabolize intestinal oxalate, potentially reducing urinary oxalate levels through similar mechanisms to Oxalobacter formigenes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Oxalate-degrading bacteria may reduce intestinal oxalate absorption, thereby lowering urinary oxalate excretion.
- Understanding these bacteria is crucial for managing conditions related to oxalate metabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize novel oxalate-degrading bacteria from human intestinal microbiota.
- To investigate the enzymatic mechanisms of oxalate degradation in these isolates.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of oxalate-degrading bacteria from human stool samples.
- Protein profiling using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting with specific antibodies.
- Gene probing using Southern blotting with Oxalobacter formigenes gene probes.
Main Results:
- Providencia rettgeri was identified as a novel oxalate-degrading bacterium.
- This isolate possessed unique proteins (65 kDa and 48 kDa) absent in non-degrading strains.
- Genetic analysis indicated similarities to Oxalobacter formigenes in oxalate metabolism pathways.
Conclusions:
- Providencia rettgeri employs a mechanism for oxalate degradation similar to Oxalobacter formigenes.
- This study reports the first facultative oxalate-degrading organism within the Enterobacteriaceae family.