Authors: Yiyun Cao, Joonseok Oh, Mengzhao Xue, Won Jae Huh, Jiawei Wang, Jaime A. Gonzalez-Hernandez, Tyler A. Rice, Anjelica L. Martin, Deguang Song, Jason M. Crawford, Seth B. Herzon, Noah W. Palm
Published: 2022-10-27
Source: Full article
Microbiota-derived metabolites that elicit DNA damage can contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the full spectrum of genotoxic chemicals produced by indigenous gut microbes remains to be defined. We established a pipeline to systematically evaluate the genotoxicity of an extensive collection of gut commensals from inflammatory bowel disease patients. We identified isolates from divergent phylogenies whose metabolites caused DNA damage and discovered a distinctive family of genotoxins—termed the indolimines—produced by the CRC-associated species