Study of the QrcABCD membrane complex involved in energy conservation in gut anaerobes

Abstract

"The human gut microbiome has been studied for several decades, and changes in its composition affect human physiology and may trigger health disorders. Sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP) are members of this diverse microbiota and are implicated in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and in colorectal cancer due to sulfide toxicity, which is released as the main product of their metabolism. In the gut, one of the main electron sources for microbial respiration is hydrogen and SRP can use it to respire sulfate producing sulfide. The QrcABCD is an electrogenic respiratory complex, present in the inner membrane, that is essential to link the periplasmic oxidation of hydrogen to sulfate metabolism inside the cell.(...)"