Fig. 6: Sulfur energy metabolism and proposed interaction scheme of Taurinivorans muris in the mouse gut.
From: Ecophysiology and interactions of a taurine-respiring bacterium in the mouse gut
T. muris mainly utilizes taurine as the main electron acceptor for anaerobic respiration in the gut but is also capable of thiosulfate and sulfolactate respiration. Pyruvate, lactate, and likely hydrogen are the main electron donors of T. muris, while formate could also be used. Taurine is cleaved from host-derived taurine-conjugated bile acids by other gut bacteria via bile salt hydrolase (BSH). Thiosulfate derives from mitochondrial oxidation of H2S in the gut epithelium. T. muris produces H2S from taurine via pyruvate-dependent taurine transaminase (Tpa), sulfoacetaldehyde (SA) acetyltransferase (Xsc), and dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DsrAB). H2S can have various effects on the gut microbiota and host health. For example, excess H2S can impair mucus integrity3. H2S can enhance resistance against enteropathogens by directly inhibiting enzymes in aerobically respiring Klebsiella pneumoniae37. T. muris could further impact microbial interactions and intestinal metabolism by stimulating the transcriptional activity of prophages that encode auxiliary metabolic genes, such as those involved in sulfur metabolism (S-AMG)100. Created with Biorender.com.
