Biology subjects

Fehlner-Peach, H.

Publications and source records attributed to Fehlner-Peach, H..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Distinct polysaccharide growth profiles of human intestinal Prevotella copri isolates

The gut-dwelling Prevotella copri, the most prevalent Prevotella species in human gut, have been associated with diet as well as disease, but our understanding of their diversity and functional roles remains rudimentary, as studies have been limited to 16S and metagenomic surveys and experiments using a single type strain. Here, we describe the genomic diversity of 83 P. copri isolates from 11 donors. We demonstrate that genomically distinct isolates, which can be categorized into different P. copri complex clades, utilize defined sets of plant polysaccharides that can be predicted in part from their genomes and from metagenomic data. This study thus reveals both genomic and functional differences in polysaccharide utilization between several novel human intestinal P. copri strains.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Specific targeting of intestinal Prevotella copri by a Listeria monocytogenes bacteriocin

Deciphering the specific function of every microorganism in microbial gut communities is a key issue to interrogate their role during infection. Here, we report the discovery of a Listeria bacteriocin, Lmo2776, that specifically targets the abundant gut commensal Prevotella copri and affects Listeria infection. Oral infection of conventional mice with a {Delta}lmo2776 mutant leads to a thinner intestinal mucus layer and higher Listeria loads both in the intestinal content and deeper tissues compared to WT Listeria, while no difference is observed in germ-free mice. This microbiota-dependent effect is phenocopied by precolonization of germ-free mice before Listeria infection, with P. copri, but not with other commensals. Together, these data unveil a role for Prevotella in controlling intestinal infection, highlighting that pathogens may selectively deplete microbiota to avoid excessive inflammation.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

The Prevotella copri complex comprises four distinct clades that are underrepresented in Westernised populations

Prevotella copri is a common inhabitant of the human gut. Interest in P. copri has gathered pace due to conflicting reports on whether it is beneficial or detrimental to health. In a cross-continent meta-analysis exploiting >6,500 available metagenomes supported by new isolate sequencing and recovery of high-quality genomes from metagenomes, we obtained >1,000 P. copri genomes. This 100-fold increase over existing isolate genomes allowed the genetic and global population structure of P. copri to be explored at an unprecedented depth. We demonstrate P. copri is not a monotypic species, but encompasses four distinct clades (>10% inter-clade vs. <4% intra-clade average single nucleotide variants) for which we propose the name P. copri complex, comprising clades A, B, C and D. We show the complex is near ubiquitous in non-Westernised populations (95.4% versus 29.6% in Westernised populations), where all four clades are typically co-present within an individual (61.6% of the cases), in contrast to Westernised populations (4.6%). Genomic analysis of the complex reveals substantial and complementary functional diversity, including the potential for utilisation of complex carbohydrates, suggestive that multi-generational dietary modifications may be a driver for the reduced P. copri prevalence in Westernised populations. Analysis of ancient stool microbiomes highlights a similar pattern of P. copri presence consistent with modern non-Westernised populations, allowing us to estimate the time of clade delineation to pre-date human migratory waves out of Africa. Our analysis reveals P. copri to be far more diverse than previously appreciated and this diversity appears to be underrepresented in Western-lifestyle populations.

microbiology↗