A Pilot Study Exploring the Relationship Between Milk Composition and Microbial Capacity in Breastfed Infants

Nutrients, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(2), P. 338 - 338

Published: Jan. 18, 2025

Background: Maternal obesity may contribute to childhood in a myriad of ways, including through alterations the infant gut microbiome. For example, maternal both directly by introducing dysbiotic microbiome and indirectly altered composition human milk that fuels In particular, indigestible oligosaccharides (HMOs) are known shape The goal this study was characterize HMO profiles normal-weight overweight mothers quantitatively link concentrations taxonomic functional potential Methods: Normal-weight (BMI = 18.5–24.9; n 9) overweight/obese (OW/OB; BMI > 25; 11) breastfeeding their infants were enrolled single-center, cross-sectional pilot study. Human from rectal stool swabs collected 7–9 weeks postpartum. composition, microbial functions assessed using HPLC, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomic respectively. Results: Neither nor varied according status. Taxonomically, microbiota dominated typical lineages Bifidobacterium. Significant correlations between individual HMOs bacterial genera identified, for Prevotella, genus Bacteroidota phylum positively correlated with lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) lacto-N-hexaose (LNH). Using assembled genomes, we also able identify broad HMO-degradative capacity across Bifidobacterium Prevotella genera. Conclusions: These results suggest status does not impact milk. However, select specific taxa, suggesting influences

Language: Английский

---

VIRGO2: Unveiling the Functional and Ecological Complexity of the Vaginal Microbiome with an Enhanced Non-Redundant Gene Catalog

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 4, 2025

Abstract Despite the importance of cervicovaginal microbiome, mechanisms that govern its composition and drive impact on host physiology remain poorly understood. This study expands our understanding function ecology vaginal microbiome using VIRGO2, an enhanced non-redundant gene catalog comprising over 1.7 million well-annotated genes from body-site specific microbes viruses. Analyses VIRGO2 revealed novel insights, including identification previously uncharacterized bacteria, features mycobiome phageome, differential expression bacterial carbohydrate catabolic genes. Constructed 2,500 metagenomes 4,000 genomes, broadens geographic representation microbial diversity compared to predecessor. updated enables more precise profiling taxonomic functional metagenomic metatranscriptomic datasets. is a critical resource for integrative analyses communities their interactions with tissues, thereby enhancing mechanistic health disease.

Language: Английский

---

Prevotella are major contributors of sialidases in the human vaginal microbiome

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(36)

Published: Aug. 26, 2024

Elevated bacterial sialidase activity in the female genital tract is strongly associated with poor health outcomes including preterm birth and vaginosis (BV). These negative effects may arise from sialidase-mediated degradation of protective mucus layer cervicovaginal environment. Prior biochemical studies vaginal sialidases have focused solely on BV-associated organism Gardnerella vaginalis . Despite their implications for sexual reproductive health, other bacteria not been characterized. Here, we show that Prevotella species produce possess variable toward mucin substrates. The sequences genes presence are largely conserved across clades different geographies, hinting at importance globally. Finally, find transcripts, those encoding mucin-degrading timonensis , highly prevalent abundant human genomes transcriptomes. Together, our results identify as a critical source microbiome, improving understanding this detrimental activity.

Language: Английский

---

Prevotella timonensis degrades the vaginal epithelial glycocalyx through high fucosidase and sialidase activities

mBio, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(9)

Published: Aug. 20, 2024

ABSTRACT Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a polymicrobial infection of the female reproductive tract. BV characterized by replacement health-associated Lactobacillus species diverse anerobic bacteria, including well-known Gardnerella vaginalis. Prevotella timonensis, and bivia are anerobes that found in significant number patients, but their contributions to disease process remain be determined. Defining characteristics overgrowth adherence mucosal surface increased activity mucin-degrading enzymes such as sialidases vaginal secretions. We demonstrate P. not bivia, strongly adheres endocervical cells similar level G. vaginalis did elicit comparable proinflammatory epithelial response. The timonensis genome uniquely encodes large set mucus-degrading enzymes, four putative fucosidases two sialidases, PtNanH1 PtNanH2. Enzyme assays demonstrated fucosidase sialidase activities cell-bound secreted fractions were significantly higher than for other anerobes. In assays, efficiently removed fucose α2,3- α2,6-linked sialic acid moieties from glycocalyx. Recombinantly expressed NanH1 NanH2 cleaved α2,3 acids surface, removal could blocked using inhibitors. This study demonstrates has distinct virulence-related properties include initial adhesion high capacity mucin degradation at surface. Our results underline importance understanding role different bacteria BV. IMPORTANCE common affects proportion women associated with reduced fertility risk secondary infections. most BV-associated bacterium, may also play an important role. showed that, , adhered well epithelium, suggesting both first stage infection. Compared was unique removing protective sugars cover epithelium. These underscore roles initiation development

Language: Английский

---

Sialidases derived from Gardnerella vaginalis remodel the sperm glycocalyx and impair sperm function

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

Abstract Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiome, affects approximately 29 percent women worldwide (up to 50% in some regions) and is associated with several adverse health outcomes including preterm birth increased incidence sexually transmitted infection (STI). BV-associated bacteria, such as Gardnerella vaginalis Prevotella timonensis, damage mucosa through activity sialidase enzymes that remodel epithelial glycocalyx degrade mucin glycoproteins. This creates an inflammatory environment which likely contributes outcomes. However, whether glycolytic also sperm during their transit reproductive tract has not yet been determined. Here, we show sialidase-mediated remodeling human increases susceptibility within female tract. In particular, report desialylated demonstrate complement lysis agglutination, well decreased cervical mucus. Our results mechanism by sialidases may affect survival function potentially contribute infertility. Significance statement Sperm surface glycans are crucial for immune processes We found derived from bacteria resulting aberrant mucus trapping, complement-mediated cytolysis sperm. These implicate potential Classification: Biological Sciences, Immunology Inflammation,

Language: Английский

---

Temporal Dynamics of the Vaginal Microbiome and Host Immune Markers Before, During, and After Metronidazole Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 14, 2025

This study analyzed metagenomic and immune marker profiles of seven individuals before, during, after a 7-day course metronidazole treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV). Treatment reduced BV-associated bacteria levels, with distinct early (days 1-4) late 5-7) phases. Post-treatment, variability in microbial demonstrated rapid resurgence certain BV associated bacteria, highlighting the need additional strategies like probiotics to maintain healthy vaginal microbiome. The found significant host influences on response variance, IP-10 sEcad highly correlated findings identify optimal timing administering live biotherapeutics restore D-lactic acid-producing Lactobacillus species dominance underscore complexity infection among different people. Bacterial (BV), common condition an increased risk preterm birth sexually transmitted infections others, is characterized by dysbiotic microbiome diverse assortment anaerobic species. Metronidazole first-line recommended CDC when patients report symptoms. Despite treatment, recurrence common. There limited data regarding effects oral starting at initiation as most studies have compared measurements taken before completion. utilized sequencing, pan-bacterial qPCR, analyze longitudinal dynamics during treatment.

Language: Английский

---

Glycoengineering with neuraminic acid analogs to label lipooligosaccharides and detect native sialyltransferase activity in gram-negative bacteria

Glycobiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34(10)

Published: Aug. 30, 2024

Lipooligosaccharides are the most abundant cell surface glycoconjugates on outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. They play important roles in host-microbe interactions. Certain pathogenic bacteria cap their lipooligosaccharides with sialic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), to mimic host glycans that among others protects these from recognition by hosts immune system. This process molecular mimicry is not fully understood and remains under investigated. To explore functional role acid-capped at level, it have tools readily available for detection manipulation both Neu5Ac involved sialyltransferases, preferably live We shown native sialyltransferases some can incorporate extracellular unnatural nucleotides onto lipooligosaccharides. here report expanded use bacterial neuraminic acids analogs a reporter group into variety show this approach offers quick strategy screen expression ability exogenous CMP-Neu5Ac decorate glycoconjugates. For selected we also complements two other glycoengineering techniques, Metabolic Oligosaccharide Engineering Selective Exo-Enzymatic Labeling, together they provide modify, label, detect visualize sialylation

Language: Английский

---