2021 journal article

Lactobacillus bile salt hydrolase substrate specificity governs bacterial fitness and host colonization

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(6).

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
author keywords: Lactobacillus; Acidophilus; gasseri; bile salt hydrolase; bile acid
MeSH headings : Amidohydrolases / genetics; Amidohydrolases / metabolism; Ecosystem; Gastrointestinal Microbiome / genetics; Gastrointestinal Microbiome / physiology; Genetic Fitness / genetics; Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics; Humans; Lactobacillus / enzymology; Lactobacillus / genetics; Probiotics / pharmacology; Substrate Specificity / genetics
Source: ORCID
Added: February 2, 2021

Significance The transformation of bile acids (BAs) by the gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as an important factor shaping host health. The prerequisite step of BA metabolism is carried out by bile salt hydrolases (BSHs), which are encoded by select gut and probiotic bacteria. Despite their prevalence, the utility of harboring a bsh is unclear. Here, we investigate the role of BSHs encoded by Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus gasseri . We show that BA type and BSH substrate preferences affect in vitro and in vivo growth of both species. These findings contribute to a mechanistic understanding of bacterial survival in various BA-rich niches and inform future efforts to leverage BSHs as a therapeutic tool for manipulating the gut microbiota.