@article{2598,
  keywords = {Molecular Sequence Data, Humans, Bacteria, Models, Molecular, Crystallography, X-Ray, Protein Conformation, Amino Acid Sequence, Gastrointestinal Tract, Microbiota, Tryptophan, Metagenome, Biotransformation, Carboxy-Lyases, Neurotransmitter Agents, Phylogeny, Sequence Homology, Tryptamines},
  author = {Brianna Williams and Andrew Van Benschoten and Peter Cimermancic and Mohamed Donia and Michael Zimmermann and Mao Taketani and Atsushi Ishihara and Purna Kashyap and James Fraser and Michael Fischbach},
  title = {Discovery and characterization of gut microbiota decarboxylases that can produce the neurotransmitter tryptamine.},
  abstract = { <p>Several recent studies describe the influence of the gut microbiota on host brain and behavior. However, the mechanisms responsible for microbiota-nervous system interactions are largely unknown. Using a combination of genetics, biochemistry, and crystallography, we identify and characterize two phylogenetically distinct enzymes found in the human microbiome that decarboxylate tryptophan to form the β-arylamine neurotransmitter tryptamine. Although this enzymatic activity is exceedingly rare among bacteria more broadly, analysis of the Human Microbiome Project data demonstrate that at least 10\% of the human population harbors at least one bacterium encoding a tryptophan decarboxylase in their gut community. Our results uncover a previously unrecognized enzymatic activity that can give rise to host-modulatory compounds and suggests a potential direct mechanism by which gut microbiota can influence host physiology, including behavior.</p> },
  year = {2014},
  journal = {Cell Host Microbe},
  volume = {16},
  pages = {495-503},
  month = {2014 Oct 08},
  issn = {1934-6069},
  doi = {10.1016/j.chom.2014.09.001},
  language = {eng},
}