A bacterial route for folic acid supplementation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To prevent folate deficiencies, many countries supplement various foodstuffs with folic acid. This compound is a synthetic oxidised folate that differs from naturally occurring reduced folates in its metabolism and uptake. Notably, safety reviews of folic acid supplementation have not considered interactions with gut bacteria. Here, we use the Caenorhabditis elegans - Escherichia coli animal- microbe model to examine a possible bacterial route for folic acid uptake. It has been assumed that supplements are taken up directly by the worm, especially because E. coli is unable to take up folates. However, E. coli, like many other bacteria, can transport the folate breakdown product, para-aminobenzoate-glutamate (PABA-glu), via AbgT and use it for bacterial folate synthesis.

SUBMITTER: Maynard C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6002978 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature