Interested in the influence of the infant microbiome on health? Quickly interrogating non-model organisms using omic approaches?
A new publication, describing genome-scale resources in bifidobacteria, is now available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.02.010
#microbiome #microsky
A new publication, describing genome-scale resources in bifidobacteria, is now available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.02.010
#microbiome #microsky
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How did we do this?
We used this pool to conduct a chemical-genomic screen and converted the transposon pool into an ordered mutant collection.
We then tackled multiple aspects of bifidobacterial biology with these resources.
With experimentally supported metabolic pathways in hand, we then tackled growth in more complex environments like the gut.
By referencing our metabolic reconstruction, we were able to paint a better picture of growth in the complex environment of the host guts. We learned about persistence in adults and the timing of colonization in infants.
We identified new genes involved in aromatic lactic acid production, an important set of signals to the developing infant, and connected production of these small molecules to growth of bifidobacteria.
A heart-felt thanks to the many co-authors who came together to make this happen!