Karen Pendergrass, Standards Team

Nickel plays a crucial role in Escherichia coli, serving as a cofactor for hydrogenases, urease, and detoxification enzymes. These functions support metabolism, acid resistance, and virulence in pathogenic strains like TEC. E. coli also employs specialized nickel acquisition systems to counteract host-imposed metal sequestration, ensuring enzymatic activity in hostile environments.

A metalloprotease, also termed a metalloproteinase, is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins, relying on metal ions—most commonly zinc (Zn²⁺), but also calcium (Ca²⁺), manganese (Mn²⁺), or cobalt (Co²⁺)—as essential cofactors for its catalytic activity. Classified within the broader group of proteases (peptidases), metalloproteases are distinct due to their metal-ion […]

Nutritional immunity restricts metal access to pathogens, leveraging sequestration, transport, and toxicity to control infections and immunity.

This review definitively showcases lactoferrin’s antimicrobial prowess against resistant bacteria, detailing its mechanisms, effects on virulence factors like biofilms, and potential to restore microbial balance, marking it as a vital therapeutic ally for clinicians.

This study confirms elevated lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibody levels in endometriosis, suggesting autoimmune involvement. Anti-lactoferrin drops post-surgery, hinting at a biomarker role, while lactoferrin ties to inflammation and potential microbiome links.

What was studied?This study investigated the causal relationship between gut microbiome composition and endometriosis using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (R) approach. The researchers aimed to determine whether specific gut microbiota taxa have a direct causal effect on endometriosis risk rather than a mere observational association.Who was studied?The study utilized genome-wide association study (WAS) summary statistics […]

The Microbial Metallomics Theory of Endometriosis proposes that heavy metals, microbial metallophores, and immune dysregulation drive endometriosis progression. This novel framework links environmental toxins, microbiome shifts, and metalloestrogen activity, offering new insights into disease mechanisms and potential treatments, including metal chelation, microbiome modulation, and immune recalibration.

A patient with refractory celiac disease type I achieved complete duodenal villi recovery and symptom resolution after fecal microbiota transfer.

Microbial Metallomics is the study of how microorganisms interact with metal ions in biological systems, particularly within the human microbiome.

The BB is a crucial regulatory interface between the circulatory and central nervous systems, and its dysfunction has profound implications for neurodegeneration, inflammation, and systemic disease. Increasing evidence supports the role of the gut microbiome in BB modulation, highlighting microbiome-targeted therapies as a promising avenue for maintaining neurological health and preventing age-associated cognitive decline.