Metabolic, Epigenetic, and Transgenerational Effects of Gut Bacterial Choline Consumption (Cell Host & Microbe)

The gut microbiota is a dynamic metabolic organ associated with host health and disease phenotypes. Romano, Martinez-del Campo et al. report that choline-consuming gut bacteria reduce the bioavailability of this essential nutrient and deplete methyl-donor metabolites, resulting in alterations to host epigenetic programming and increased susceptibility to metabolic disease.