Archaea influence composition of endoscopically visible ileocolonic biofilms

• Published in: Gut microbes Vol. 16; no. 1; p. 2359500
• Main Authors: Orgler, Elisabeth, Baumgartner, Maximilian, Duller, Stefanie, Kumptisch, Christina, Hausmann, Bela, Moser, Doris, Khare, Vineeta, Lang, Michaela, Köcher, Thomas, Frick, Adrian, Muttenthaler, Markus, Makristathis, Athanasios, Moissl-Eichinger, Christine, Gasche, Christoph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2024; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; archaea; Archaea - classification; Archaea - genetics; Archaea - isolation & purification; Archaea - metabolism; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacteria - metabolism; bile acids; Bile Acids and Salts - metabolism; biofilm; Biofilms - growth & development; Colitis, Ulcerative - metabolism; Colitis, Ulcerative - microbiology; Colon - microbiology; Fatty Acids, Volatile - metabolism; Feces - microbiology; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; IBS; Ileum - microbiology; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - microbiology; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - metabolism; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - microbiology; Male; Methanobrevibacter; Methanobrevibacter - genetics; Methanobrevibacter - growth & development; Methanobrevibacter - isolation & purification; Methanobrevibacter - metabolism; Middle Aged; Research Paper; Young Adult; facultative anaerobes; bile acids; Methanobrevibacter; biofilm; IBS; UC; archaea
• ISSN: 1949-0984; 1949-0976; 1949-0984
• DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2359500

The gut microbiota has been implicated as a driver of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Recently we described, mucosal biofilms, signifying alterations in microbiota composition and bile acid (BA) metabolism in IBS and ulcerative colitis (UC). Luminal oxygen concentration is a key factor in the gastrointestinal (GI) ecosystem and might be increased in IBS and UC. Here we analyzed the role of archaea as a marker for hypoxia in mucosal biofilms and GI homeostasis. The effects of archaea on microbiome composition and metabolites were analyzed via amplicon sequencing and untargeted metabolomics in 154 stool samples of IBS-, UC-patients and controls. Mucosal biofilms were collected in a subset of patients and examined for their bacterial, fungal and archaeal composition. Absence of archaea, specifically , correlated with disrupted GI homeostasis including decreased microbial diversity, overgrowth of facultative anaerobes and conjugated secondary BA. IBS-D/-M was associated with absence of archaea. Presence of correlated with and epithelial short chain fatty acid metabolism and decreased levels of . Absence of fecal may indicate a less hypoxic GI environment, reduced fatty acid oxidation, overgrowth of facultative anaerobes and disrupted BA deconjugation. Archaea and could distinguish distinct subtypes of mucosal biofilms. Further research on the connection between archaea, mucosal biofilms and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth should be performed.