Structural Basis of Malodour Precursor Transport in the Human Axilla

Overview

Journal Elife

Specialty Biology

Date 2018 Jul 4

PMID 29966586

Citations 22

Authors

Gurdeep S Minhas

Daniel Bawdon

Reyme Herman

Michelle Rudden

Andrew P Stone

A Gordon James

Gavin H Thomas

Simon Newstead

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Mammals produce volatile odours that convey different types of societal information. In , this is now recognised as body odour, a key chemical component of which is the sulphurous thioalcohol, 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (3M3SH). Volatile 3M3SH is produced in the underarm as a result of specific microbial activity, which act on the odourless dipeptide-containing malodour precursor molecule, S-Cys-Gly-3M3SH, secreted in the axilla (underarm) during colonisation. The mechanism by which these bacteria recognise S-Cys-Gly-3M3SH and produce body odour is still poorly understood. Here we report the structural and biochemical basis of bacterial transport of S-Cys-Gly-3M3SH by , which is converted to the sulphurous thioalcohol component 3M3SH in the bacterial cytoplasm, before being released into the environment. Knowledge of the molecular basis of precursor transport, essential for body odour formation, provides a novel opportunity to design specific inhibitors of malodour production in humans.

Citing Articles

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