Molecular mechanism by which prominent human gut Bacteroidetes utilize mixed-linkage beta-glucans, major health-promoting cereal polysaccharides

DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.049

Authors: Kazune Tamura (University of British Columbia) , Glyn R. Hemsworth (University of York) , Guillaume Déjean (University of British Columbia) , Theresa E. Rogers (University of Michigan Medical School) , Nicholas A. Pudlo (University of Michigan Medical School) , Karthik Urs (University of Michigan Medical School) , Namrata Jain (University of British Columbia) , Gideon J. Davies (University of York) , Eric C. Martens (University of Michigan Medical School) , Harry Brumer (University of British Columbia)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Cell Reports , VOL 21 , PAGES 417 - 430

State: Published (Approved)
Published: October 2017
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 9948

Abstract: Microbial utilization of complex polysaccharides is a major driving force in shaping the composition of the human gut microbiota. There is a growing appreciation that finely tuned polysaccharide utilization loci enable ubiquitous gut Bacteroidetes to thrive on the plethora of complex polysaccharides that constitute “dietary fiber.” Mixed-linkage β(1,3)/β(1,4)-glucans (MLGs) are a key family of plant cell wall polysaccharides with recognized health benefits but whose mechanism of utilization has remained unclear. Here, we provide molecular insight into the function of an archetypal MLG utilization locus (MLGUL) through a combination of biochemistry, enzymology, structural biology, and microbiology. Comparative genomics coupled with growth studies demonstrated further that syntenic MLGULs serve as genetic markers for MLG catabolism across commensal gut bacteria. In turn, we surveyed human gut metagenomes to reveal that MLGULs are ubiquitous in human populations globally, which underscores the importance of gut microbial metabolism of MLG as a common cereal polysaccharide.

Journal Keywords: microbiota; dietary fiber; complex carbohydrates; polysaccharide; polysaccharide utilization locus; Bacteroidetes; mixed-linkage glucan; barley beta-glucan; oat beta-glucan; carbohydrate-active enzymes

Diamond Keywords: Bacteria; Gut Microbiota; Enzymes

Subject Areas: Biology and Bio-materials


Instruments: I02-Macromolecular Crystallography , I03-Macromolecular Crystallography

Added On: 17/10/2017 16:07

Documents:
1-s2.0-S2211124717313396-main.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Health & Wellbeing Structural biology Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags:

Diffraction Macromolecular Crystallography (MX)