Human gut Bacteroidetes can utilize yeast mannan through a selfish mechanism
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2015-01-08
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Nature
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NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
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School of Chemistry
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Journal Article
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Cuskin, F., Lowe, E. C., Temple, M. J., Zhu, Y., Cameron, E. A., Pudlo, N. A., Porter, N. T., Urs, K., Thompson, A. J., Cartmell, A., Rogowski, A., Hamilton, B. S., Chen, R., Tolbert, T. J., Piens, K., Bracke, D., Vervecken, W., Hakki, Z., Speciale, G. ,... Gilbert, H. J. (2015). Human gut Bacteroidetes can utilize yeast mannan through a selfish mechanism. Nature, 517 (7533), pp.165-169. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13995.
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Abstract
Yeasts, which have been a component of the human diet for at least 7,000 years, possess an elaborate cell wall α-mannan. The influence of yeast mannan on the ecology of the human microbiota is unknown. Here we show that yeast α-mannan is a viable food source for the Gram-negative bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a dominant member of the microbiota. Detailed biochemical analysis and targeted gene disruption studies support a model whereby limited cleavage of α-mannan on the surface generates large oligosaccharides that are subsequently depolymerized to mannose by the action of periplasmic enzymes. Co-culturing studies showed that metabolism of yeast mannan by B. thetaiotaomicron presents a 'selfish' model for the catabolism of this difficult to breakdown polysaccharide. Genomic comparison with B. thetaiotaomicron in conjunction with cell culture studies show that a cohort of highly successful members of the microbiota has evolved to consume sterically-restricted yeast glycans, an adaptation that may reflect the incorporation of eukaryotic microorganisms into the human diet.