Characterization of an α-Glucosidase Enzyme Conserved in <i>Gardnerella</i> spp. Isolated from the Human Vaginal Microbiome
Pashupati Bhandari, Jeffrey P. Tingley, David R. J. Palmer, D. Wade Abbott, Janet E. Hill
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 carbon source available to vaginal bacteria.
Topics & Concepts
BiologyMicrobiologyGlycoside hydrolaseGardnerella vaginalisMicrobiomeBacteriaEnzymeBiochemistryGeneticsBacterial vaginosisReproductive tract infections researchInfant Nutrition and HealthProbiotics and Fermented Foods