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Mycology 2017
September 25-26, 2017
conferenceseries .com
September 25-26, 2017 Chicago, USA
2nd International Conference on
Mycology & Mushrooms
Volume 3, Issue 2 (Suppl) Med Mycol Open Access
ISSN: 2471-8521
Microbial metabolism of yeast mannans, a symbiosis that spans from humans to domesticated livestock
Wade Abbott
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada
Yeasts, which have been a component of the human diet for at least 7,000 years, possess an elaborate cell wall α-mannan. The
influence of yeast mannan (i.e. α-mannan) and other cell wall carbohydrates on the ecology of the human distal gut microbiota
remains unclear. Here we show that α-mannan is a viable food source for the Gram-negative bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron,
a dominant member of intestinal microbiome. Detailed biochemical analysis and targeted gene disruption studies support a model
whereby limited cleavage of α-mannan on the surface generates large oligosaccharides that are subsequently depolymerized to
mannose by the action of periplasmic enzymes. Co-culturing studies showed that metabolism of α-mannan by B. thetaiotaomicron
presents a ‘selfish’ model for the catabolism of this difficult to breakdown polysaccharide (see Figure). Genomic comparison with
B. thetaiotaomicron in conjunction with cell culture studies show that a cohort of highly successful members of the microbiota has
evolved to consume sterically-restricted yeast glycans, an adaptation that may reflect the incorporation of eukaryotic microorganisms
into the human diet. Harnessing knowledge of dietary carbohydrate interactions provides a promising road forward for intestinal
health and livestock production.
Biography
Wade Abbott has been investigating the structure-function relationship of CAZymes for over 10 years. In first PDF with Alisdair Boraston (UVIC, 2005-2008), he focused
on protein-carbohydrate interactions involved in host-pathogen relationships. In his second PDF with Harry Gilbert (UGA-CCRC, 2008-2010), he studied carbohydrate
utilization pathways in Bacteroides. In 2011, he joined Agriculture and Agri-food Canada as a Research Scientist. His program currently focuses on enzyme discovery and
engineering for carbohydrate-based applications in animal health and performance.
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Wade Abbott, Med Mycol Open Access, 3:2, 2017
DOI: 10.21767/2471-8521-C1-002