Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39875389›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Convergent evolution of oxidized sugar metabolism in commensal and pathogenic microbes in the inflamed gut.

Sophia Levy, Angela K Jiang, Maggie R Grant, Gabriela Arp, Glory Minabou Ndjite, Xiaofang Jiang, Brantley Hall

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sophia LevyDepartment of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-8055-3202
Angela K JiangCenter for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-5525-6251
Maggie R GrantDepartment of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2607-9493
Gabriela ArpDepartment of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-3819-5648
Glory Minabou NdjiteDepartment of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.
Xiaofang JiangNational Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. xiaofang.jiang@nih.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0955-8284
Brantley HallDepartment of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA. brantley@umd.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7553-8209

Funding

Training in Host-pathogens interactionsT32AI089621 · NIAID · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · PI LEE, VINCENT T, MCIVER, KEVIN S. · 2010 to 2025
$2.1M
Enzymatic Determinants of Gut Microbial Metabolic BiotransformationsR35GM155208 · NIGMS · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · PI A. Brantley Hall · 2024 to 2026
$1.2M
Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Division of Intramural Research of the NIAID) T32-AI089621NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI089621NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM155208U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R35-GM155208
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Inflammation-associated perturbations of the gut microbiome are well characterized, but poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that disparate taxa recapitulate the metabolism of the oxidized sugars glucarate and galactarate, utilizing enzymatically divergent, yet functionally equivalent, gud/gar pathways. The divergent pathway in commensals includes a putative 5-KDG aldolase (GudL) and an uncharacterized ABC transporter (GarABC) that recapitulate the function of their non-homologous counterparts in pathogens. A systematic bioinformatic search for the gud/gar pathway in gut microbes identified 887 species putatively capable of metabolizing oxidized sugars. Previous studies showed that inflammation-derived nitrate, formed by nitric oxide reacting with superoxide, promotes pathogen growth. Our findings reveal a parallel phenomenon: oxidized sugars, also produced from reactions with nitric oxide, serve as alternative carbon sources for commensal microbes. Previously considered a pathogen virulence factor, oxidized sugar metabolism is also present in specific commensals and may contribute to their increased relative abundance in gastrointestinal inflammation.

Indexed as

BacteriaCarbohydrate MetabolismGastrointestinal MicrobiomeInflammationSugarsAnimalsBacterial ProteinsHumansMiceOxidation-ReductionSymbiosisBacterial ProteinsSugars

Identifiers

PMID39875389
PMCPMC11775122

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.