Oxalate degradation by microbes of the large bowel of herbivores: the effect of dietary oxalate.
Abstract: Rates of oxalate degradation by microbes in gastrointestinal contents from rabbits, guinea pigs, swine and a horse increased after additional of oxalate to diets. A similar response was previously observed with ruminal microbes from cattle and sheep. Bacterial that utilize oxalate for growth appear to be selected by increased levels of dietary oxalate.
Publication Date: 1981-05-08 PubMed ID: 7221555DOI: 10.1126/science.7221555Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research study presents findings that show microbes in the large bowel of various herbivores ramp up their rate of oxalate breakdown when diets are enriched with oxalate. This response seems to favor the growth of bacteria that use oxalate.
Understanding Oxalate and Its Role
- Oxalate is a naturally occurring molecule that is found in many foods. While it is not harmful in moderate amounts, excessive intake of oxalate can lead to kidney stones.
- In the context of herbivores, it is particularly vital to understand how their bodies handle oxalate, as their diet mainly consists of plants which are known to have a high oxalate content.
Increasing Oxalate in the Diet
- The researchers increased the level of oxalate in the diets of several herbivorous animals including rabbits, guinea pigs, swine, and a horse.
- The aim was to examine how this dietary change would affect the rate of oxalate breakdown by the microbes present in the animals’ gastrointestinal contents, particularly in the large bowel.
Rate of Oxalate Degradation
- The experiment showed that adding extra oxalate to these animals’ diets resulted in heightened rates of oxalate degradation by their gut microbes.
- This indicates that the microbes in these herbivores’ large bowel can react dynamically to changes in oxalate levels, adjusting their activity to maintain balance.
Bacteria Growth and Oxalate Consumption
- Interestingly, the study found that bacteria that utilized oxalate for growth seemed to be particularly favored when levels of dietary oxalate were increased, suggesting a selection process.
- This implies that high oxalate diets could potentially steer the composition of the microbial community in the gut towards more oxalate-consuming bacteria, thus increasing the overall capacity for oxalate degradation within the bowels of these animals.
Final Observations and Implications
- This study gives valuable insights into the complex mechanisms through which herbivorous animals’ gut microbiomes can adapt to variations in dietary composition.
- Understanding these processes could have broader implications for managing dietary oxalate levels in both human and animal health contexts, potentially informing strategies to prevent issues like kidney stones or other disorders induced by high oxalate levels.
Cite This Article
APA
Allison MJ, Cook HM.
(1981).
Oxalate degradation by microbes of the large bowel of herbivores: the effect of dietary oxalate.
Science, 212(4495), 675-676.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7221555 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cecum / microbiology
- Diet
- Guinea Pigs / microbiology
- Horses / microbiology
- Oxalates / metabolism
- Rabbits / microbiology
- Rats / microbiology
- Rectum / microbiology
- Swine / microbiology
Citations
This article has been cited 21 times.- Wang Y, Sun J, Xie S, Zhou Y, Wang T, Liu Z, Li C, Gao L, Pan T. Increased abundance of bacteria of the family Muribaculaceae achieved by fecal microbiome transplantation correlates with the inhibition of kidney calcium oxalate stone deposition in experimental rats.. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023;13:1145196.
- Seidel DS, Walker JW, Musser JM, Whitney TR, Callaway TR. Impact of camphor on the in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentation from goats selected for consumption of low and high levels of Juniperus spp. 1.. Transl Anim Sci 2022 Jul;6(3):txac097.
- Seidel DS, Walker JW, Musser JM, Lourenco JM, Welch CB, Whitney TR, Callaway TR. Impact of concentrations of camphor on the in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentation from goats selected for consumption of low and high levels of Juniperus spp.-2.. Transl Anim Sci 2022 Jul;6(3):txac098.
- Cole E, Shaikh N, Forster CS. The pediatric urobiome in genitourinary conditions: a narrative review.. Pediatr Nephrol 2022 Jul;37(7):1443-1452.
- Liu M, Devlin JC, Hu J, Volkova A, Battaglia TW, Ho M, Asplin JR, Byrd A, Loke P, Li H, Ruggles KV, Tsirigos A, Blaser MJ, Nazzal L. Microbial genetic and transcriptional contributions to oxalate degradation by the gut microbiota in health and disease.. Elife 2021 Mar 26;10.
- Nichols CP, Gregory NG, Goode N, Gill RMA, Drewe JA. Regulation of bone mineral density in the grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis: Bioavailability of calcium oxalate, and implications for bark stripping.. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2018 Feb;102(1):330-336.
- Suryavanshi MV, Bhute SS, Jadhav SD, Bhatia MS, Gune RP, Shouche YS. Hyperoxaluria leads to dysbiosis and drives selective enrichment of oxalate metabolizing bacterial species in recurrent kidney stone endures.. Sci Rep 2016 Oct 6;6:34712.
- Peck AB, Canales BK, Nguyen CQ. Oxalate-degrading microorganisms or oxalate-degrading enzymes: which is the future therapy for enzymatic dissolution of calcium-oxalate uroliths in recurrent stone disease?. Urolithiasis 2016 Feb;44(1):45-50.
- Li X, Ellis ML, Knight J. Oxalobacter formigenes Colonization and Oxalate Dynamics in a Mouse Model.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015 Aug;81(15):5048-54.
- Miller AW, Dearing D. The metabolic and ecological interactions of oxalate-degrading bacteria in the Mammalian gut.. Pathogens 2013 Dec 6;2(4):636-52.
- Knight J, Deora R, Assimos DG, Holmes RP. The genetic composition of Oxalobacter formigenes and its relationship to colonization and calcium oxalate stone disease.. Urolithiasis 2013 Jun;41(3):187-96.
- Gnanandarajah JS, Abrahante JE, Lulich JP, Murtaugh MP. Presence of Oxalobacter formigenes in the intestinal tract is associated with the absence of calcium oxalate urolith formation in dogs.. Urol Res 2012 Oct;40(5):467-73.
- Chen Z, Liu G, Ye Z, Kong D, Yao L, Guo H, Yang W, Yu X. The construction of an oxalate-degrading intestinal stem cell population in mice: a potential new treatment option for patients with calcium oxalate calculus.. Urol Res 2012 Apr;40(2):131-41.
- Daniel SL, Drake HL. Oxalate- and Glyoxylate-Dependent Growth and Acetogenesis by Clostridium thermoaceticum.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1993 Sep;59(9):3062-9.
- Smith RL, Oremland RS. Anaerobic oxalate degradation: widespread natural occurrence in aquatic sediments.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1983 Jul;46(1):106-13.
- Hatch M, Freel RW. Intestinal transport of an obdurate anion: oxalate.. Urol Res 2005 Feb;33(1):1-16.
- Allison MJ, Dawson KA, Mayberry WR, Foss JG. Oxalobacter formigenes gen. nov., sp. nov.: oxalate-degrading anaerobes that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract.. Arch Microbiol 1985 Feb;141(1):1-7.
- Daniel SL, Hartman PA, Allison MJ. Microbial degradation of oxalate in the gastrointestinal tracts of rats.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1987 Aug;53(8):1793-7.
- Daniel SL, Hartman PA, Allison MJ. Intestinal colonization of laboratory rats with Oxalobacter formigenes.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1987 Dec;53(12):2767-70.
- Baetz AL, Allison MJ. Purification and characterization of oxalyl-coenzyme A decarboxylase from Oxalobacter formigenes.. J Bacteriol 1989 May;171(5):2605-8.
- Baetz AL, Allison MJ. Purification and characterization of formyl-coenzyme A transferase from Oxalobacter formigenes.. J Bacteriol 1990 Jul;172(7):3537-40.
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