This article details the identification of gut microbial bile acid metabolic enzymes through an AI-assisted pipeline called BEAUT. The research, conducted by Ding et al., uncovers novel enzymes like MABH, responsible for hydrolyzing specific bile acids, and ADS, which creates an unreported skeleton bile acid, 3-acetoDCA. The paper explores the structural basis and catalytic mechanisms of these enzymes and further investigates 3-acetoDCA's widespread presence in the human gut and its impact on the gut microbiota, particularly its ability to promote the growth of Lactobacillus species. Ultimately, this work offers a top-down approach to discovering microbial enzymes and expands our understanding of the complex relationship between gut microbes and host health.
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