Competition and Mutualism in the Dysbiotic Vaginal Microbiome

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most prevalent vaginal condition among reproductive-age women experiencing vaginal complaints. Despite its significant impact on women's health, limited knowledge exists regarding the microbial community structure and metabolic interactions associated with BV. In this study, we analyzed metagenomic data obtained from human vaginal swabs to generate in silico predictions of BV-associated bacterial metabolic interactions via genome-scale metabolic network reconstructions (GENREs). Our in silico simulations revealed significant competition and mutualism of metabolites (L-histidine, selenocysteine, sphinganine-1-phostphate) implicated in host immune function and tissue inflammation. We grew the most common co-occurring bacteria on the spent media of Gardnerella species and performed metabolomics to identify potential mechanisms of metabolic interaction. Notably, we identified some BV associated bacteria significantly produce caffeate, a compound implicated in estrogen receptor binding. These findings underscore novel host-microbiome interactions in the dysbiotic vaginal microbiome.