The sialic acid, Neu5Gc, is present in red meat and can be incorporated into host cell surface glycans triggering an inflammatory response. Here, a Neu5Gc-containing diet alters the murine gut microbiota, and bacterial sialidases specific for Neu5Gc were identified in human and mouse gut metagenomes, with purified sialidases able to cleave Neu5Gc from red meat.
- Livia S. Zaramela
- Cameron Martino
- Karsten Zengler
