Utilization Efficiency of Human Milk Oligosaccharides by Human-Associated <i>Akkermansia</i> Is Strain Dependent
Estefani Luna, Shanthi G. Parkar, Nina Kirmiz, Stephanie Hartel, Erik Hearn, Marziiah Hossine, Arinnae Kurdian, Claudia Camelia Calzada Mendoza, Katherine Orr, Loren Padilla, Katherine Ramirez, Priscilla Salcedo, Erik Serrano, Biswa Choudhury, Mousumi Paulchakrabarti, Craig T. Parker, Steven Huynh, Kerry K. Cooper, Gilberto E. Flores
Abstract
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most abundant component of breast milk and provide several benefits to developing infants, including the recruitment of beneficial bacteria to the human gut. Akkermansia strains are largely considered beneficial bacteria and have been detected in colostrum, breast milk, and young infants. A. muciniphila Muc T belonging to the AmI phylogroup contributes to the HMO deconstruction capacity of the infant. Here, using phylogenomics, we examined the genomic capacities of four Akkermansia phylogroups to deconstruct HMOs.