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Sulfoglycolysis sustains Eubacterium rectale in low-fiber diets
Mahima Sharma1, Nicholas Pudlo2, Michael A Järvå3
1York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|February 16, 2025
Summary
Eubacterium rectale utilizes plant sugars like sulfoquinovose (SQ) for growth. Supplementing SQ can maintain this important butyrate-producing gut bacterium during dietary changes, suggesting its prebiotic potential.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Firmicutes (Bacillota) bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) crucial for gut health.
- Eubacterium rectale, a Firmicutes member, can metabolize the plant-derived sugar sulfoquinovose (SQ).
- SCFAs, particularly butyrate, play vital roles in the human gut and disease states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Eubacterium rectale's ability to metabolize sulfoquinovosyl glycerol (SQGro).
- To elucidate the structural and functional roles of key enzymes in the SQ metabolic pathway.
- To assess the potential of SQ as a prebiotic to support E. rectale populations in a simulated gut environment.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical assays to confirm E. rectale growth on SQGro.
- 3D structural determination of E. rectale sulfoquinovosidase (SftG) and SftX (DUF4867).
- Analysis of sequence-similarity networks for conserved protein domains.
- Utilizing a synthetic mini-human microbiome in germ-free mice to test SQ supplementation effects.
Main Results:
- E. rectale can grow on both SQ and SQGro.
- The 3D structure of SftG is conserved among GH31 SQases, and the function of SftX (DUF4867) was contextualized.
- SQ supplementation rescued E. rectale populations during a shift to a low-fiber, high-fat diet in a mouse model.
Conclusions:
- E. rectale possesses a unique metabolic capability for plant-derived sulfosugars.
- SQ and SQGro are potential prebiotics for maintaining beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria like E. rectale.
- Understanding these pathways can inform strategies for modulating gut microbiota composition and function.
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