An Expanded Genetic Code Enables Trimethylamine Metabolism in Human Gut Bacteria
Veronika Kivenson, Stephen J. Giovannoni
Abstract
-oxide (TMAO) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) have focused attention on mechanisms by which animal-based diets have negative health consequences. In a meta-analysis of data from foundational gut microbiome studies, we found evidence that specialized bacteria have and express a metabolic pathway that circumvents TMAO production and is often misannotated because it relies on genetic code expansion. This naturally occurring mechanism for TMAO attenuation is negatively correlated with CVD. Ultimately, these findings point to new avenues of research that could increase microbiome-informed understanding of human health and hint at potential biomedical applications in which specialized bacteria are used to curtail CVD development.