Fig. 5: Application of best strategies highlights complementary biological interactions between microorganisms and metabolites in Konzo data.

A Proportion of cumulative explained variance in Metabolome and Microbiome datasets in both affected and unaffected individuals B Top-20 of the most contributing species and metabolites on the first RDA component in healthy and affected samples. Positive correlations were identified by a +, while negative correlations were identified with a - sign. Projection of metabolites (red) and microorganisms (blue) into the 2D regression sPLS space in C affected and D unaffected individuals. Features with null loadings were removed from the analysis. E Coefficients provided by the CODA-LASSO across mevalonate and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate were identified only in Konzo by the regression sPLS. Positive coefficients were identified by a +, while negative coefficients were identified with a - sign F Network between mevalonate and 3-hydroxyisobutyrate and their corresponding associated species found by CODA-LASSO. Positive associations were represented by green edges and negative associations by pink edges.