Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium

The gut microbiota plays a vital role in human physiology and nutrient metabolism. However, its capacity to synthesize essential amino acids (EAAs) as a nutrient source remains insufficiently characterized, with genomic evidence suggesting this potential but lacking direct in vitro validation. To ad...

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Main Authors: Tran Quang Duc, Takashi Uebanso, Kazuaki Mawatari, Akira Takahashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Applied Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8007/5/1/16
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author Tran Quang Duc
Takashi Uebanso
Kazuaki Mawatari
Akira Takahashi
author_facet Tran Quang Duc
Takashi Uebanso
Kazuaki Mawatari
Akira Takahashi
author_sort Tran Quang Duc
collection DOAJ
description The gut microbiota plays a vital role in human physiology and nutrient metabolism. However, its capacity to synthesize essential amino acids (EAAs) as a nutrient source remains insufficiently characterized, with genomic evidence suggesting this potential but lacking direct in vitro validation. To address this, we developed an artificial medium comprising 78 components, enabling <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> (ATCC 8014) to achieve growth comparable to that in conventional MRS broth. Through systematic depletion of individual and multiple EAAs, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine were identified as critical for the survival and proliferation of this strain. Subsequent analysis revealed that lysine and threonine were synthesized and secreted into the medium after 48 h of culturing in medium lacking these EAAs, using aspartic acid as a major precursor. Notably, in response to methionine deficiency, cysteine seemed to be converted to methionine via the transsulfuration pathway, with vitamin B6 serving as an essential cofactor. Collectively, our findings demonstrated the ability of <i>L. plantarum</i> to synthesize and provide lysine and threonine in these EAA-restricted conditions. This ability to serve EAAs to the environment provides a basis for future studies to further investigate the role of intestinal microbiota as a potential source of EAAs in host animals.
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spelling doaj-art-8ce67eb81d0949948559d0be2a30beed2025-08-20T02:11:08ZengMDPI AGApplied Microbiology2673-80072025-02-01511610.3390/applmicrobiol5010016Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient MediumTran Quang Duc0Takashi Uebanso1Kazuaki Mawatari2Akira Takahashi3Department of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, JapanDepartment of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, JapanDepartment of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, JapanDepartment of Preventive Environment and Nutrition, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, JapanThe gut microbiota plays a vital role in human physiology and nutrient metabolism. However, its capacity to synthesize essential amino acids (EAAs) as a nutrient source remains insufficiently characterized, with genomic evidence suggesting this potential but lacking direct in vitro validation. To address this, we developed an artificial medium comprising 78 components, enabling <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> (ATCC 8014) to achieve growth comparable to that in conventional MRS broth. Through systematic depletion of individual and multiple EAAs, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine were identified as critical for the survival and proliferation of this strain. Subsequent analysis revealed that lysine and threonine were synthesized and secreted into the medium after 48 h of culturing in medium lacking these EAAs, using aspartic acid as a major precursor. Notably, in response to methionine deficiency, cysteine seemed to be converted to methionine via the transsulfuration pathway, with vitamin B6 serving as an essential cofactor. Collectively, our findings demonstrated the ability of <i>L. plantarum</i> to synthesize and provide lysine and threonine in these EAA-restricted conditions. This ability to serve EAAs to the environment provides a basis for future studies to further investigate the role of intestinal microbiota as a potential source of EAAs in host animals.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8007/5/1/16gut microbiotaamino acids<i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i>essential amino acidsmethioninelysine
spellingShingle Tran Quang Duc
Takashi Uebanso
Kazuaki Mawatari
Akira Takahashi
Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium
Applied Microbiology
gut microbiota
amino acids
<i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i>
essential amino acids
methionine
lysine
title Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium
title_full Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium
title_fullStr Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium
title_full_unstemmed Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium
title_short Elucidating the Capacity and Mechanism of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> in Synthesizing Essential Amino Acids from Non-Essential Amino Acids in a Novel Severely Deficient Medium
title_sort elucidating the capacity and mechanism of i lactiplantibacillus plantarum i in synthesizing essential amino acids from non essential amino acids in a novel severely deficient medium
topic gut microbiota
amino acids
<i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i>
essential amino acids
methionine
lysine
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8007/5/1/16
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