Electrogenic metabolism in host-associated microbial communities andpathogenesis

项目摘要/摘要 肠道微生物区系由一个复杂的微生物群落组成，它在人体内扮演着许多重要的角色 健康，包括对入侵肠道病原体的保护。细胞外电子转移(EET)描述了 一种呼吸策略，允许微生物利用细胞外部的电子受体生长。我最近 发现了一种独特的基于黄素的细胞外电子转移(LEFT)机制，这种机制普遍存在于 肠道微生物区系的革兰氏阳性成员，以及肠道病原体单核细胞增多性李斯特菌和 耐多药粪肠球菌。传统上被视为高度专业化的增长战略， 舰队的发现将EET的相关性扩展到新的营养丰富的环境中，包括在 定义肠道微生物区系的复杂微生物群落。这里提出的研究试图解决：1) 舰队功能的分子基础，2)决定舰队的作用和相关的呼吸机制 在肠道中革兰氏阳性病原体的生长中，以及3)评估转移高能的效果 电子进入周围环境的肠道微生物群落。这些实验的发现 承诺塑造我们对微生物群落内相互作用和代谢策略的理解 被革兰氏阳性病原体用于肠道生长。

Project Summary/Abstract The gut microbiota consists of a complex microbial community that plays a number of important roles in human health, including protection from invading intestinal pathogens. Extracellular electron transfer (EET) describes a respiratory strategy that allows microbes to grow using electron acceptors exterior to the cell. I recently discovered a distinctive flavin-based extracellular electron transfer (FLEET) mechanism that is prevalent in gram-positive members of the gut microbiota, as well as the intestinal pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis. Traditionally viewed as a highly specialized growth strategy, the discovery of FLEET extends the relevance of EET into novel nutrient-rich environments, including within the complex microbial communities that define the gut microbiota. The studies proposed here seek to address: 1) the molecular basis of FLEET function, 2) determine the role of FLEET and associated respiratory mechanisms in the outgrowth of gram-positive pathogens in the gut, and 3) assess the effect of transferring high-energy electrons into the surrounding environment on gut microbial communities. Findings from these experiments promise to shape our understanding of interactions within microbial communities and metabolic strategies employed by gram-positive pathogens for intestinal outgrowth.