Novel enzyme discovered in intestinal bacteria
At the University of Konstanz, in cooperation with Harvard University, a key enzyme for formation of harmful hydrogen sulphide in the human gut by Bilophila bacteria has been discovered.
In the human intestinal system, a complex community of microorganisms, the intestinal microbiome, metabolizes food components that have not readily been digested. However, there are also microbial degradation processes occurring in the colon that may have negative effects on the human host. In the research team Microbial Ecology, headed by biologist Dr David Schleheck, a key enzyme was discovered in cooperation with Harvard University (USA). This enzyme is involved in the degradation of the substrate taurine, which is abundant in the colon, by the intestinal bacterium Bilophila wadsworthia. This process generates toxic hydrogen sulphide. Increased hydrogen sulphide production is thought to be associated with higher permeability of the intestinal barrier, higher susceptibility to infections and colon cancer. Moreover, Bilophila wadsworthia can act as a pathogen, for example in appendicitis. The results were published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). Read more...