biostudies-literatureNunn KLDepartment of EnergyBioinformatics and Computational BiologyNational Institutes of HealthNIGMS NIH HHSe00943-20https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7729256biostudies-literatureUnknown5(6)Dominance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> species in vaginal communities is a hallmark of healthy conditions in the female genital tract. Key nutrients for lactobacilli include sugars produced when glycogen is degraded by α-amylase in the vagina. While α-amylase activity has been demonstrated in vaginal fluids, it is unclear whether α-amylases are produced solely by the host, bacteria in the vagina, or both. We screened cervicovaginal mucus from 23 reproductive-age women, characterized the species composition of vaginal communities, measured vaginal pH, and determined levels of amylase activity, glycogen, and lactic acid. Based on differences in these measured variables, one sample from each of four individual donors was selected for metagenomic and proteomic analyses. Of eight putative bacterial mSphereAmylases in the Human Vagina.PMC7729256N/AP30 GM103324Microbes in TransitionEngbrecht KFillmore TNunn KLClair GCAdkins JNForney LJfalseAmylases in the Human Vagina.Dominance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> species in vaginal communities is a hallmark of healthy conditions in the female genital tract. Key nutrients for lactobacilli include sugars produced when glycogen is degraded by α-amylase in the vagina. While α-amylase activity has been demonstrated in vaginal fluids, it is unclear whether α-amylases are produced solely by the host, bacteria in the vagina, or both. We screened cervicovaginal mucus from 23 reproductive-age women, characterized the species composition of vaginal communities, measured vaginal pH, and determined levels of amylase activity, glycogen, and lactic acid. Based on differences in these measured variables, one sample from each of four individual donors was selected for metagenomic and proteomic analyses. Of eight putative bacterial 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Dec2026-06-06T22:58:45.965Z2021-02-20T16:46:25ZS-EPMC77292563329857110.1128/mSphere.00943-20