7dq9

Publication Abstract from PubMed

The human gut microbiota regulates nutritional metabolism, especially by encoding specific ferulic acid esterases (FAEs) to release functional ferulic acid (FA) from dietary fiber. In our previous study, we observed seven upregulated FAE genes during in vitro fecal slurry fermentation using wheat bran. Here, a 29 kDa FAE (AsFAE) from Alistipes shahii of Bacteroides was characterized and identified as the type-A FAE. The X-ray structure of AsFAE has been determined, revealing a unique alpha-helical domain comprising five alpha-helices, which was first characterized in FAEs from the gut microbiota. Further molecular docking analysis and biochemical studies revealed that Tyr100, Thr122, Tyr219, and Ile220 are essential for substrate binding and catalytic efficiency. Additionally, Glu129 and Lys130 in the cap domain shaped the substrate-binding pocket and affected the substrate preference. This is the first report on A. shahii FAE, providing a theoretical basis for the dietary metabolism in the human gut.

The alpha-Helical Cap Domain of a Novel Esterase from Gut Alistipes shahii Shaping the Substrate-Binding Pocket.,Wei X, Wang YL, Wen BT, Liu SJ, Wang L, Sun L, Gu TY, Li Z, Bao Y, Fan SL, Zhou H, Wang F, Xin F J Agric Food Chem. 2021 Jun 2;69(21):6064-6072. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c00940., Epub 2021 May 12. PMID:33979121^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.