Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) produced by human gut microbiota is highly toxic and implicated in pathogenesis of gastrointestinal tract disorders. Sulfur-containing amino acid (SAA) degradation is a major contributor to its production, but SAA degradation pathways have not been extensively characterized. I...

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Main Authors: Levi M. Teigen, Thomas Kaiser-Powers, Michael Matson, Baila Elkin, Amanda J. Kabage, Matthew Hamilton, Byron P Vaughn, Michael J. Sadowsky, Christopher Staley, Alexander Khoruts
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Gut Microbes Reports
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/29933935.2024.2361246
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author Levi M. Teigen
Thomas Kaiser-Powers
Michael Matson
Baila Elkin
Amanda J. Kabage
Matthew Hamilton
Byron P Vaughn
Michael J. Sadowsky
Christopher Staley
Alexander Khoruts
author_facet Levi M. Teigen
Thomas Kaiser-Powers
Michael Matson
Baila Elkin
Amanda J. Kabage
Matthew Hamilton
Byron P Vaughn
Michael J. Sadowsky
Christopher Staley
Alexander Khoruts
author_sort Levi M. Teigen
collection DOAJ
description Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) produced by human gut microbiota is highly toxic and implicated in pathogenesis of gastrointestinal tract disorders. Sulfur-containing amino acid (SAA) degradation is a major contributor to its production, but SAA degradation pathways have not been extensively characterized. In vitro model systems of fecal H2S production offer a basic method to help elucidate SAA degradation pathways, but the approach is not standardized. To address this, we used fecal microbiota separated from feces and standardized for bacterial counts to measure H2S production potential in response to different substrates in healthy controls (n = 6) with repeated sampling (three samples per participant). H2S production was highest with cysteine (mean = 16.7 ppm) compared to sodium sulfate (0.7 ppm) and taurine (0.8 ppm). Sodium-sulfate-driven H2S production negatively correlated with Ruminococcus (Spearman’s ρ = −0.5) and cysteine-driven H2S production negatively correlated with Firmicutes (Spearman’s ρ = −0.5). These findings, using a protocol controlling for confounding variables such as bacterial counts, validate previous findings of cysteine as a primary driver of H2S production. Finally, the inclusion of samples from two patients with UC allowed for the illustration of the potential of this approach to identify functional differences in specific disease states.
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spelling doaj-art-03b9da18efa9417eb7af02675eef0e862025-08-20T03:10:37ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGut Microbes Reports2993-39352024-12-011110.1080/29933935.2024.2361246Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial CountsLevi M. Teigen0Thomas Kaiser-Powers1Michael Matson2Baila Elkin3Amanda J. Kabage4Matthew Hamilton5Byron P Vaughn6Michael J. Sadowsky7Christopher Staley8Alexander Khoruts9Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USADivision of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USADivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USAMedical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USADivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USAMicrobiota Therapeutics Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USADivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USADepartment of Soil, Water, and Climate and Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USADivision of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USADivision of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USAHydrogen sulfide (H2S) produced by human gut microbiota is highly toxic and implicated in pathogenesis of gastrointestinal tract disorders. Sulfur-containing amino acid (SAA) degradation is a major contributor to its production, but SAA degradation pathways have not been extensively characterized. In vitro model systems of fecal H2S production offer a basic method to help elucidate SAA degradation pathways, but the approach is not standardized. To address this, we used fecal microbiota separated from feces and standardized for bacterial counts to measure H2S production potential in response to different substrates in healthy controls (n = 6) with repeated sampling (three samples per participant). H2S production was highest with cysteine (mean = 16.7 ppm) compared to sodium sulfate (0.7 ppm) and taurine (0.8 ppm). Sodium-sulfate-driven H2S production negatively correlated with Ruminococcus (Spearman’s ρ = −0.5) and cysteine-driven H2S production negatively correlated with Firmicutes (Spearman’s ρ = −0.5). These findings, using a protocol controlling for confounding variables such as bacterial counts, validate previous findings of cysteine as a primary driver of H2S production. Finally, the inclusion of samples from two patients with UC allowed for the illustration of the potential of this approach to identify functional differences in specific disease states.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/29933935.2024.2361246Microbiomehydrogen sulfidecysteinesulfatetaurine
spellingShingle Levi M. Teigen
Thomas Kaiser-Powers
Michael Matson
Baila Elkin
Amanda J. Kabage
Matthew Hamilton
Byron P Vaughn
Michael J. Sadowsky
Christopher Staley
Alexander Khoruts
Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts
Gut Microbes Reports
Microbiome
hydrogen sulfide
cysteine
sulfate
taurine
title Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts
title_full Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts
title_fullStr Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts
title_full_unstemmed Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts
title_short Contribution of Common Sulfur-Containing Substrates to Hydrogen Sulfide Production By Human Gut Microbiota Using an In Vitro Model Standardized For Bacterial Counts
title_sort contribution of common sulfur containing substrates to hydrogen sulfide production by human gut microbiota using an in vitro model standardized for bacterial counts
topic Microbiome
hydrogen sulfide
cysteine
sulfate
taurine
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/29933935.2024.2361246
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