Host–microbiome orchestration of the sulfated metabolome

• Published in: Nature chemical biology Vol. 20; no. 4; pp. 410 - 421
• Main Authors: D’Agostino, Gabriel D., Chaudhari, Snehal N., Devlin, A. Sloan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01-04-2024; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/92/607; 631/92/613; Amino acids; Bacteria; Biochemical Engineering; Biochemistry; Bioorganic Chemistry; Carbohydrates; Cell Biology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Cholesterol; Derivatives; Disease detection; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Immune response; Mammals; Metabolism; Metabolites; Metabolome; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Physiological effects; Physiology; Prevention; Review Article; Reviews; Sulfates
• ISSN: 1552-4450; 1552-4469
• DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01526-9

Recent studies have demonstrated that metabolites produced by commensal bacteria causally influence health and disease. The sulfated metabolome is one class of molecules that has recently come to the forefront due to efforts to understand the role of these metabolites in host–microbiome interactions. Sulfated compounds have canonically been classified as waste products; however, studies have revealed a variety of physiological roles for these metabolites, including effects on host metabolism, immune response and neurological function. Moreover, recent research has revealed that commensal bacteria either chemically modify or synthesize a variety of sulfated compounds. In this Review, we explore how host–microbiome collaborative metabolism transforms the sulfated metabolome. We describe bacterial and mammalian enzymes that sulfonate and desulfate biologically relevant carbohydrates, amino acid derivatives and cholesterol-derived metabolites. We then discuss outstanding questions and future directions in the field, including potential roles of sulfated metabolites in disease detection, prevention and treatment. We hope that this Review inspires future research into sulfated compounds and their effects on physiology.
Sulfated compounds produced collaboratively by the microbiome and the host have important biological functions. This Review highlights the production of select sulfated carbohydrates, amino acid derivatives and steroidal metabolites and discusses their influence on health. The Review also explore potential roles of sulfated molecules in disease detection, prevention and treatment.