Bacterial hydrogen sulfide drives cryptic redox chemistry in gut microbial communities.

Microbial biochemistry contributes to a dynamic environment in the gut. Yet, how bacterial metabolites such as hydrogen sulfide (HS) mechanistically alter the gut chemical landscape is poorly understood. Here we show that microbially generated HS drives the abiotic reduction of azo (R-N = N-R') xenobiotics, which are commonly found in Western food dyes and drugs.

Drug Metabolism as a Community Effort.

Levodopa (L-dopa) is the primary treatment for Parkinson's disease. The gut microbiome can metabolize levodopa, potentially leading to decreased efficacy and side effects, but responsible bacteria were unknown. Maini Rekdal et al.

Predicting and Understanding the Human Microbiome's Impact on Pharmacology.

Our bodies each possess a unique and dynamic collection of microbes and viruses, collectively the 'microbiome', with distinct metabolic capacities from our human cells. Unforeseen modification of drugs by the microbiome can drastically alter their clinical effectiveness, with the most dramatic cases leading to fatal drug interactions. Pharmaceuticals can be activated, deactivated, toxified, or release metabolites that alter the 'canonical' pharmacokinetics of the drug.

Mechanism of Fluorinated Anthranilate-Induced Growth Inhibition in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The biosynthesis of tryptophan in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is initiated by the transformation of chorismate to anthranilate, catalyzed by anthranilate synthase (TrpE/TrpG). Five additional enzymes are required to complete tryptophan biosynthesis. M.

Urban air pollution perception through the experience of social practices: Talking about breathing with recreational runners in London.

This paper examines how interviews with outdoor recreational runners can help us understand how urban air pollution insinuates itself into the consciousness of those who may be breathing more polluted air than most. It begins by making the case for why studies of air pollution perception might turn to the subjectivities associated with taking part in relevant social practices. Then, with reference to debate about the extent to which groups of exercisers are thinking about certain aspects of what is physically happening during their exercise, we examine how outdoor recreational runners in London talk about the air that they breathe when running.