A new study has provided the first complete analysis of how Akkermansia muciniphila (AM), a beneficial gut bacterium, breaks down sugars in mucus. The research, published in Nature Microbiology on 31 January, sheds light on the molecular mechanisms behind this process, offering potential implications for gut health and disease management.

Led by Dr Lucy Crouch from the University of Birmingham, the study identified 66 enzymes that AM uses to break down mucin, a key component of the mucus lining in the human gastrointestinal tract. The team used mucus from a pig model to observe how these enzymes function together to completely degrade mucin, marking the first systematic understanding of microbial digestion of O-linked sugars.

Dr Crouch explained the significance of the findings:

“This is the first time that we have comprehensively seen how microbes break down the food source O-linked sugars in the gut. These newly characterised enzymes may help us understand the different glycans that humans produce, which can be indicative of disease.

“These glycans, and others like them, are receptors for various pathogens and their toxins, such as Shiga toxin. If we can modify them, we may be able to influence disease severity.

 “We know that AM is a hugely important microbe. Its levels can be a strong indicator of overall health, with lower levels being linked to inflammatory diseases and diabetes. AM is also highly sensitive to dietary fibre intake.”

Previous research has shown that AM proteins and membrane extracts have beneficial effects on metabolism and immune regulation. This latest study enhances understanding of how AM interacts with its human host and may open new avenues for microbiome-based therapies.