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Researchers know that Akkermansia muciniphila (AM) feeds on sugar found in the mucus digestive system. Dr. Lucy Crouch of University of Birmingham led a pig model focused on 66 enzymes that the AM microbe uses to break down mucus that is an essential part of the mucus layer lining the human gastrointestinal tract.

 

Dr. Crouch and her team found that a combination of enzymes from AM were able to completely break down the mucin, the first understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind how a microbe breaks down sugars.

 
These microbes completely break down the glycan part of mucin, a receptor for a number of pathogens. These newly characterized enzymes may be used in characterizing the different glycans that humans produce, which can be indicative of disease.

 

“AM is a hugely important microbe, and levels of the microbe can be a good indicator of overall health,” adds Dr. Crouch.