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Cited by 23Oral microbiology and periodontitis researchPolyamine Metabolism and ApplicationsMicrobial metabolism and enzyme function

Formation of trimethylamine from dietary choline by streptococcus sanguis I, which colonizes the mouth

Chao, Chiao-Kang, Zeisel, Steven H.·1990·The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
DOI 10.1016/0955-2863(90)90055-p
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Abstract

Choline is a component of the normal diet, and when humans ingest large amounts they excrete trimethylamine (which can impart a fishy body odor). In the presence of nitrite, trimethylamine can be converted to dimethylnitrosamine, a potent carcinogen. Bacteria in the large intestine metabolize choline to form trimethylamine. We determined that a bacterium normally present in the oral cavity also has this capacity. Mixed bacterial flora cultured from dental plaque and saliva converted choline to trimethylamine. The only organism with trimethylamine-forming capability isolated from these mixed cultures was identified as Streptococcus sanguis I (a facultative anaerobe). The other products formed when choline was cleaved were ethanol and acetate. The formation of trimethylamine by S. sanguis I was enzyme-mediated. Activity was destroyed by heating at 100 degrees C, and obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics (K(apparent) for choline = 184 +/- 58 microM; V(max apparent) = 1.7 +/- 0.1 micromol/mg protein/h). Activity was maximal at pH 7.5 to 8.5, was membrane-bound, and required a divalent metal cation (cobalt or iron). More trimethylamine was produced by bacteria incubated under a nitrogen than under an aerobic atmosphere. Activity was inhibited by deanol, betaine aldehyde, hemicholinium-3, iodoacetate, semicarbazide, and 2,4-dinitrophenol, and was enhanced by sulfhydryl-reducing agents (glutathione, 2-mercaptoethanol, DL-dithiothreitol) and sodium bisulfite. The enzyme activity that we describe in S. sanguis I is similar to that previously described in the anaerobic bacteria isolated from intestinal flora.

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Authors
Chao, C.-K., & Zeisel, S. H.
Affiliations
Boston University (US)
Corresponding author
Zeisel, Steven H.
ORCID
Zeisel, Steven H.
Venue
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1990-02
Volume
1
Issue
2
Pages
89-97
ISSN
0955-2863 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0955-2863(90)90055-p
OpenAlex
W2057222589
Cited by
23
References
44
Citations by year
2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
1.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
Keywords
trimethylamine, choline metabolism, Streptococcus sanguinis, oral bacteria, dental plaque, saliva, trimethylamine N-oxide, N-nitrosodimethylamine, enzyme kinetics, dietary choline

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