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Isolation, identification and characterization of propionic acid bacteria associated with autistic spectrum disorder
Rongrong Yu1, Zhifeng Wu2, Shuhui Wang1
1College of Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China.
Insights
Propionic acid (PA)-related bacteria are significantly less abundant in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, these bacteria show greater diversity in ASD children, suggesting a complex role in autism development.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) poses significant health challenges for children.
- Propionic acid (PA) is increasingly implicated in the etiology of ASD.
- Understanding the gut microbiome's role in ASD is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the community structure of propionic acid (PA)-related bacteria in healthy versus ASD children.
- To characterize representative PA-related bacterial strains and their sensitivity to PA.
- To elucidate the impact of PA on bacterial growth, pH, and biofilm formation.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and culturing of PA-related bacteria from healthy and ASD children.
- Identification using colony morphology, biochemical tests, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
- Assessment of bacterial sensitivity to PA, including pH changes and biofilm formation analysis.
Main Results:
- PA-related bacteria were over 100-fold less abundant in ASD children compared to healthy children.
- Greater diversity of PA-associated bacteria was observed in ASD children.
- PA inhibited bacterial propagation rather than causing cell death, with varying sensitivity among species and conditions.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals significant differences in PA-related bacterial communities between healthy and ASD children.
- Findings highlight the potential role of PA-metabolizing bacteria in ASD pathogenesis.
- Further research into these microbial communities may offer novel therapeutic targets for ASD.
Abstract:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) seriously affects children's health. Recently, propionic acid (PA) has been reported to play a significant role in the formation of ASD. In this study, we investigated the community structure of PA-related bacteria in healthy and ASD children by isolation and culture, while a group of representative PA-related bacteria were identified and characterized based on colony morphological observation, physiological and biochemical tests, as well as living/dead cells staining analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that the number of PA-related bacteria in healthy children was >100-fold higher than that in ASD children, while compared to healthy children, greater diversity was found in PA-associated bacteria from ASD children. The sensitivity of the representative strains to PA was affected by bacterial species, PA concentration and incubation time. The decrease of pH value was found in PA-resistant Lactobacillus plantarum strain 6-1 but not in PA-sensitive Enterococcus lactis strain 4-1, while biofilm formation of both strains were unaffected by PA. Furthermore, PA inhibited the propagation of the two selected bacteria rather than killed them, while the greater inhibitory effect was observed on strain 4-1. Overall, the result is of great significance for revealing the role of PA-related bacteria in development of ASD.
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