Project description:Bile acids are not only crucial for the uptake of lipids, but also have widespread systematic ef-fects and shape the gut-microbiome composition. Bile acids can directly shape the gut-microbiome and can be modified by bacteria such as Eggerthella lenta which in turn plays a crucial role in host metabolism and immune response. We cultivated eight strains that represent a simplified human intestinal microbiome and inves-tigated the molecular response to bile acids, co-culturing with Eggerthella lenta and the combina-tion. We observed growth inhibition of particularly gram-positive strains during bile acid stress, which could be alleviated through co-culturing with Eggerthella lenta. The inhibition of growth was related to a decrease in membrane integrity and genotoxic effects of bile acids, which we investigated using zeta potential measurements in combination with proteomic and metabolomic analyses. Co-culturing with Eggerthella lenta alleviated stress through formation of oxidized and epimer-ized bile acids and the molecular response to co-culturing was seen to be strain specific. We also note that we could detect the recently described Microbial Bile Salt Conjugates in our cultures. This study highlights the significance of a potent bile acid modifier and how in-depth molecular analyses are required to decipher cross-communication between gut and host.
Project description:In this study, the minimal consortium Oligo-Mouse Microbiota (OMM)12 was used to study the function of Coriobacteriia under defined conditions in gnotobiotic mice. OMM12 mice with or without adding the dominant gut bacterium Eggerthella lenta were fed with diets varying in fat content or supplemented with primary bile acids. Changes in the host liver proteomes were studied using untargeted proteomics.