Abstract 2413 Identifying natural products produced by the gut commensal bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila

Natural products are produced by a variety of organisms and commonly have bioactive properties that are exploited in the pharmaceutical industry. Commensal gut bacteria can produce natural products that can positively influence the physiological functions of the host. Akkermansia muciniphila is a commensal gut microbe that is being investigated as a next generation probiotic due to its apparent protective effects against various diseases. However, a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind these effects is lacking. We hypothesize that A. muciniphila can synthesize bioactive natural products that positively influence the host. Since microbial natural products are frequently produced by enzymes encoded in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), we have used different genome mining approaches to identify putative BGCs from A. muciniphila that may be involved in producing bioactive small molecules. We have determined optimal metabolite production conditions by determining BGC expression in a variety of growth mediums and will isolate and characterize the molecules using these conditions. This work will improve our understanding of how the gut microbiome influences its host and potentially identify novel compounds that could be used as therapeutics to prevent or treat gut-related diseases. Research is supported by the NIH Established and New Investigators Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) R35GM151137.