Objective The human intestine is colonized by over 10 trillions symbiotic bacteria which play a critical role in human health such as preventing inflammation and cancer. These microorganisms hydrolyse complex carbohydrates polymers from our diet that are not degraded by “our” own enzymes and thus, in addition to preventing cancer and inflammation, increase the nutrients available to the human host. Indeed, recent studies have shown that the composition of the microorganisms in the large intestines influences fat deposition in the mammalian host demonstrating how these bacteria can alter metabolism in their host. The symbiotic bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomiron is the most abundant microoganism in the large intestine. B. thetaiotaomicron, colonises the gut by accessing both human and dietary complex carbohydrates. It synthesises over 200 glycoside hydrolases which is greater than any other bacterium studied to date indicating that the microorganism exploits complex carbohydrates as an important nutrient source. Intriguingly there has been a significant expansion in glycoside hydrolase families in which the enzymes attack polymers containing the sugar mannose which is present in complex carbohydrates display on the surface of human cells. These carbohydrate structures contain three mannose molecules and are elongated with different combination of other sugars making these complex molecules highly variable. B. thetaiotaomicron produces 23 enzymes in the glycoside hydrolase family GH92 which attacks glycosidic bonds that are linked to mannose sugars and thus they are likely to target the carbohydrates on the surface of human cells. The biological rationale for such a large number of GH92 enzymes may reflect diversity of sugars attached to mannose in human complex carbohydrates. The central objective of this project is to dissect the specificity and the mechanism of carbohydrate recognition of representatives of GH92 B. thetaiotaomicron enzymes. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculescarbohydratesmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Keywords Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Glycoside hydrolase N-glycan mannosidases Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) PEOPLE-2007-2-2.ERG - Marie Curie Action: "European Reintegration Grants" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-2-ERG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-ERG - European Re-integration Grants (ERG) Coordinator INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES APPLIQUEES DE TOULOUSE EU contribution € 45 000,00 Address AVENUE DE RANGUEIL 135 31077 TOULOUSE CEDEX 4 France See on map Region Occitanie Midi-Pyrénées Haute-Garonne Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Michael J. O'donohue (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
