Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40902606›Full record

ArticleCell genomics2025

Systematically investigating and identifying bacteriocins in the human gut microbiome.

Dengwei Zhang, Yinai Zou, Yuqi Shi, Junliang Zhang, Jing Liu, Gengfan Wu, Jian Zhang, Ying Gao, Muxuan Chen, Yong-Xin Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell genomics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. From predicted bacteriocins to ecological function.Current research in microbial sciences · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
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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

10 authors.

Dengwei ZhangDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Yinai ZouMicrobiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, ZhuJiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China.
Yuqi ShiDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Junliang ZhangDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Jing LiuDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Gengfan WuDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Jian ZhangDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Ying GaoDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
Muxuan ChenMicrobiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, ZhuJiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China. Electronic address: muxuanchen@126.com.
Yong-Xin LiDepartment of Chemistry and The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: yxpli@hku.hk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human gut microbiota produces unmodified bacteriocins, natural antimicrobial peptides that protect against pathogens and regulate host physiology. However, current bioinformatic tools limit the comprehensive investigation of bacteriocins' biosynthesis, obstructing research into their biological functions. Here, we introduce IIBacFinder, a superior analysis pipeline for identifying unmodified class II bacteriocins. Through large-scale bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation, we demonstrate their widespread distribution across the bacterial kingdom, with most being habitat specific. Analyzing over 280,000 bacterial genomes, we reveal the diverse potential of human gut bacteria to produce these bacteriocins. Guided by meta-omics analysis, we synthesized 26 hypothetical bacteriocins from gut commensal species, with 16 showing antibacterial activities. Further ex vivo tests show minimal impact of narrow-spectrum bacteriocins on human fecal microbiota. Our study highlights the huge biosynthetic potential of unmodified bacteriocins in the human gut, paving the way for understanding their biological functions and health implications.

Indexed as

BacteriaBacteriocinsGastrointestinal MicrobiomeGenome, BacterialHumansMetagenomicsSoftwareBacteriocinsantimicrobial activityantimicrobial peptidesbacteriocingenome mininghuman microbiomemetagenomicsnatural productsomics analysis

Identifiers

PMID40902606
PMCPMC12648112

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.