Taxonomic distribution and evolutionary analysis of the equol biosynthesis gene cluster.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Equol, an isoflavonoid metabolite with possible health benefits in humans, is known to be produced by some human gut bacteria. While the genes encoding the equol production pathway have been characterized in a few bacterial strains, a systematic analysis of the equol production pathway is currently lacking.

Results

This study presents an analysis of the taxonomic distribution and evolutionary history of the gene cluster encoding the equol production pathway. A survey for equol gene clusters within the Genome Taxonomy Database bacterial genomes and human gut metagenomes resulted in the identification of a highly conserved gene cluster found in nine bacterial species from the Eggerthellaceae family. The identified gene clusters from human gut metagenomes revealed po

SUBMITTER: Dufault-Thompson K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8898433 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature