The key atherosclerotic TMAO originates from the initial gut microbial conversion of L-carnitine and other dietary compounds into TMA. Developing therapeutic strategies to block gut microbial TMA production needs a detailed understanding of the different production mechanisms and their relative contributions. Recently, we identified a two-step anaerobic pathway for TMA production from L-carnitine through initial conversion by some microbes into the intermediate γBB which is then metabolized by other microbes into TMA. Investigational studies of this pathway, however, are limited by the lack of single microbes harboring the whole pathway. Here, we engineered E. fergusonii strain to harbor the whole two-step pathway and optimized the expression through cloning a specific chaperone from the original host. Inoculating germ-free mice with this recombinant E. fergusonii is enough to raise serum TMAO to pathophysiological levels upon L-carnitine feeding. This engineered microbe will facilitate future studies investigating the contribution of this pathway to cardiovascular disease.
Keywords: Emergencia timonensis; L-carnitine; TMA; TMAO; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular disease.