Proteomic analysis of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Bacteroides acidifaciens following cultivation on hyaluronan and a standard substrate

This project investigates proteomic adaptations of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Bacteroides acidifaciens in response to hyaluronan as the sole glycosaminoglycan carbon source. Both species were cultivated in a standard medium and in a hyaluronan-based minimal medium, and their proteomes were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The study aimed to identify global shifts in protein expression between growth conditions and to pinpoint specific proteins involved in hyaluronan degradation pathways. Comparative analysis between the two cultivation conditions provides insight into how gut-associated Bacteroides species regulate metabolic and enzymatic machinery for glycosaminoglycan utilization.