Gut bacteria responding to dietary change encode sialidases that exhibit preference for red meat-associated carbohydrates.

ABSTRACT: Dietary habits have been associated with alterations of the human gut resident microorganisms contributing to obesity, diabetes and cancer¹. In Western diets, red meat is a frequently eaten food², but long-term consumption has been associated with increased risk of disease^3,4. Red meat is enriched in N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) that cannot be synthesized by humans⁵. However, consumption can cause Neu5Gc incorporation into cell surface glycans⁶, especially in carcinomas^4,7. As a consequence, an inflammatory response is triggered when Neu5Gc-containing glycans encounter circulating anti-Neu5Gc antibodies^8,9. Although bacteria can use free sialic acids as a nutrient source^10-12, it is currently unkn

SUBMITTER: Zaramela LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6879853 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature