Commensal human gut microbes produce species specific neuroactive compounds.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota communicates with multiple organs through neuroactive molecules, but the specific compounds produced remain unclear. We investigated eight commensal gut species, Lactococcus lactis, Enterococcus faecalis, Blautia producta, Clostridium symbiosum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Prevotella copri, Bacteroides fragilis, and Escherichia coli Nissle, using targeted and non-targeted LC-MS/MS. These bacteria differentially consumed glutamine, glutamate, and tryptophan, producing distinct neuroactive metabolites. For example, E. coli and B. producta generated high levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), while P. copri was the sole producer of tryptamine. In the tyrosine pathway, E. faecalis synthesi

SUBMITTER: Tingler AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12860712 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature