Megasphaera elsdenii, a commensal member of the gut microbiota, is associated with elevated gas production during in vitro fermentation

Erasme Mutuyemungu; Hollman A. Motta-Romero; Qinnan Yang; Sujun Liu; Sean Liu; Mukti Singh; Devin J. Rose

doi:10.1017/gmb.2023.18

Gut Microbiome (Jan 2024)

Megasphaera elsdenii, a commensal member of the gut microbiota, is associated with elevated gas production during in vitro fermentation

Erasme Mutuyemungu,
Hollman A. Motta-Romero,
Qinnan Yang,
Sujun Liu,
Sean Liu,
Mukti Singh,
Devin J. Rose

Affiliations

Erasme Mutuyemungu: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Nebraska Food for Health Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Research & Development, Isolation Bio, San Carlos, CA, USA
Hollman A. Motta-Romero: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Nebraska Food for Health Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Project Management, Chobani, Twin Falls, ID, USA
Qinnan Yang: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Nebraska Food for Health Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Sujun Liu: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Nebraska Food for Health Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
Sean Liu: Functional Food Research Unit, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
Mukti Singh: Functional Food Research Unit, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, USA
Devin J. Rose: ORCiD; Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Nebraska Food for Health Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/gmb.2023.18
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5

Abstract

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Megasphaera elsdenii has been correlated with gas production by human faecal microbiota during fermentation. The objective of this study was to determine the role of M. elsdenii in gas production by the microbiome. Kidney beans and sweet potatoes were subjected to in vitro digestion and dialysis followed by fermentation with ten faecal microbiomes: three with detectable M. elsdenii (Me_D) and seven with no detectable M. elsdenii (Me_ND). Me_D microbiomes produced more gas than the Me_ND microbiomes (p < 0.001). Me_D microbiomes produced more gas during fermentation of sweet potatoes than kidney beans (p < 0.001), while the opposite was true for the Me_ND microbiomes (p < 0.001). Among amplicon sequence variants that were associated with gas production, M. elsdenii had the strongest association (p < 0.001). Me_D microbiomes consumed more acetate and produced more butyrate than Me_ND microbiomes (p < 0.001). Gas production by M. elsdenii was confirmed by fermentation of sweet potatoes and acetate with human and rumen M. elsdenii isolates. The human isolate produced gas on sweet potatoes and acetate. This study suggests that M. elsdenii may be involved in gas production during the fermentation of flatulogenic foods through utilisation of undigestible substrates or cross-feeding on acetate.

Published in Gut Microbiome

ISSN: 2632-2897 (Online)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply; Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Website: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/gut-microbiome

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