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Updated: May 22, 2026
05:35
An Integrated Workflow of Identification and Quantification on FDR Control-Based Untargeted Metabolome
Published on: September 20, 2022
Glucuronidation metabolomic fingerprinting to map host-microbe metabolism
Nina R Boyle1, Josh J Sekela2, Mingxun Wang3
1Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
Nature Communications
|May 20, 2026
Summary
Microbial activity significantly alters the body's glucuronidation, compressing the colonic glucuronidome and expanding urinary glucuronidome diversity. This host-microbe interaction impacts drug metabolism and biomarker discovery.
Area of Science:
- Metabolomics
- Microbiome research
- Host-microbe interactions
Background:
- Glucuronidation is a key detoxification pathway.
- Gastrointestinal microbial beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity can regenerate metabolites from glucuronidated forms.
- The impact of host-microbe interactions on the glucuronidome is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the glucuronidome in various biological samples.
- To understand how microbial colonization and GUS activity shape the glucuronidome.
- To develop a resource for analyzing the glucuronidome.
Main Methods:
- Untargeted LC-MS/MS metabolomics was used to profile the glucuronidome.
- Pattern-filtering data science approaches were employed.
- Samples were analyzed from gnotobiotic and conventional mice, as well as humans.
Main Results:
- Microbial colonization and GUS activity compress the colonic glucuronidome.
- Urinary glucuronidome diversity is expanded by microbial activity, indicating compartmental redistribution.
- A glucuronidation fingerprint resource was created, revealing metabolite diversity.
Conclusions:
- Microbial activity reshapes systemic glucuronidation, impacting drug metabolism and biomarker discovery.
- A scalable analytical framework for studying the glucuronidome was established.
- This work provides mechanistic insights into host-microbe interactions affecting metabolite pools.
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