Glycogen-Degrading Activities of Catalytic Domains of α-Amylase and α-Amylase-Pullulanase Enzymes Conserved in <i>Gardnerella</i> spp. from the Vaginal Microbiome

Abstract

Increased abundance of Gardnerella spp. is a diagnostic characteristic of bacterial vaginosis, an imbalance in the human vaginal microbiome associated with troubling symptoms, and negative reproductive health outcomes, including increased transmission of sexually transmitted infections and preterm birth. Competition for nutrients is likely an important factor in causing dramatic shifts in the vaginal microbial community, but little is known about the contribution of bacterial enzymes to the metabolism of glycogen, a major food source available to vaginal bacteria.

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