Aspartate in the intestine: dual service as anaerobic electron acceptor and nitrogen source

Fumarate was previously known to serve as an anaerobic electron acceptor by E. coli when colonizing the mammalian intestine, but the source of that fumarate was elusive. In this issue, Unden and coworkers demonstrate that l -aspartic acid is the source of fumarate that drives anaerobic respiration by colonized E. coli (Schubert et al., 2021). Moreover, Schubert et al., establish that E. coli is able to grow anaerobically by using aspartate as a sole source of nitrogen. These groundbreaking findings indicate that a single amino acid – aspartate – supports anaerobic respiration and acquisition of nitrogen by E. coli in the intestine.