Journal
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
Volume 295, Issue 34, Pages 11982-11983Publisher
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DOI: 10.1074/jbc.H120.015332
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- Department of Energy [DE-SC0020155]
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Carnitine, a molecule found in red meat, is metabolized to trimethylamine (TMA) by the gut microbiota. TMA is then converted in the liver to trimethylamine oxide, a causative agent for atherosclerosis. Kountzet al. have discovered an alternative pathway for carnitine metabolism in the gut bacteriumEubacterium limosum. Instead of forming TMA, carnitine is demethylated by the newly discovered methyltransferase MtcB, sending one-carbon units into production of short-chain fatty acids. These results suggest that bacterial metabolic activities could promote cardiovascular health by preventing the buildup of toxin precursors.
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