Newswise — Houston, TX –According to recent studies conducted by Pennsylvania State University, scientists have discovered that the microorganisms residing in the human gut have the potential to prevent the absorption of harmful metals such as mercury, while aiding the absorption of essential nutrients like iron. These groundbreaking findings were unveiled by the research team during their presentation at ASM Microbe 2023, the yearly gathering of the American Society for Microbiology.
Daniela Betancurt-Anzola, a graduate student at Penn State who spearheaded the recent study, expressed concerns about methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin. She emphasized that this substance poses a significant threat due to its various toxic effects, particularly during pregnancy and childhood when it can impede neurological development. Communities that heavily rely on fish-based diets are especially vulnerable to its detrimental impact. Although the primary source of methylmercury exposure is through consuming fish or shellfish, it can also be found in other sources. Betancurt-Anzola explained that methylmercury tends to accumulate in living organisms such as plants and fish, and when we consume these organisms, it accumulates within our own bodies.
To conduct their study, Betancurt-Anzola and her team initially examined a vast number of genomes obtained from gut bacteria. Their analysis focused on genetic factors that are linked to the bacteria's capacity to interact with metals. While numerous genes are already recognized for their role in metal resistance, the researchers specifically concentrated on those that enable bacteria to convert hazardous forms of mercury into less toxic variants and facilitate the absorption of this heavy metal.
In order to comprehend the mechanisms and effects of these genes on the host, the research team employed metagenomic sequencing techniques to observe how the microbial communities in both humans and mice responded when exposed to mercury. Building upon these findings, the investigators leveraged their knowledge to create a probiotic formulation tailored to counteract a particularly harmful form of mercury commonly present in the human diet. To achieve this, they introduced genes sourced from Bacillus megaterium bacteria, which are renowned for their exceptional resistance to methylmercury, into strains of Lacticaseibacillus, a group of lactic acid bacteria.
Daniela Betancurt-Anzola expressed that the engineered probiotic they developed is ideally suited for this purpose, as it has already demonstrated its effectiveness in humans in previous studies. She further explained that the probiotic, once ingested and residing within the gut, has the ability to effectively bind to methylmercury, subsequently removing it from the body. In essence, the probiotic acts as a vehicle for capturing and eliminating the harmful methylmercury from the gut. Betancurt-Anzola added, "It is inside the gut, it grabs the methylmercury, then it goes out." This highlights the probiotic's role in sequestering and facilitating the excretion of methylmercury.
Currently, Betancurt-Anzola and her team's primary focus lies in comprehending the intricate interactions between gut microbes and mercury. However, they have intentions to broaden their investigation to encompass other metals in the future. Their overarching objective is to develop interventions that can effectively lower the levels of hazardous metals, such as mercury, within the body, while concurrently enhancing the absorption of essential metals that are crucial for human health. Betancurt-Anzola stated, "We are interested in studying how the entire microbial community reacts to different metals." This highlights their interest in exploring the responses of the complete microbial ecosystem within the gut to various metal exposures.
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