Many many thanks to @skamrad.bsky.social @guan06rui.bsky.social @indraroux.bsky.social Leon Barron lab (ICL), A. Zelezniak ab (KCL), @lisamaierlab.bsky.social @savitski-lab.bsky.social @thav-lab.bsky.social lab @tbharat-lab.bsky.social lab and apologies to those I could not locate on Blue Sky :)

p.s. the manuscript also reports a screen of 42 widespread pollutants x 14 gut bacteria for bioaccumulation and biotransformation– we followed up on PFAS because of the major risk they pose to our and environmental health.

Our study provides a new window into understanding the toxicokinetics of PFAS and a step towards development of scalable biotechnological solutions for PFAS removal. Thanks to fantastic team members, especially first-author Anna Lindell, and all collaborators for making this possible.

Last but not least, we show that bioaccumulation happens within mouse gut environment and high-accumulating bacterial communities accelerate PFAS clearance through feces. Thanks to @lisamaierlab.bsky.social

We also have thermal-proteomic-profiling (TPP, @savitski-lab.bsky.social ) and metabolomic data as well as laboratory evolution experiments supporting intra-cellular localisation of these molecules and surprising high tolerance of the accumulating bacteria cells.

PFAS was thought to interact only passively with cell membranes (and thus get stuck there). Our genetic analysis shows involvement of efflux pumps and thus implies active transport. We should not repeat the mistake of assuming passive interactions - Biology is complex and full of surprises!

This feat is achieved because these molecules aggregate in dense clumps, leaving the cellular machinery unaffected. These clumps are visible at single cell resolution with cryo-FIB-SIMS. @tbharat-lab.bsky.social

Despite their surfactant-like properties, PFAS get inside the cells and can accumulate in amounts comparable to native metabolites; without much affecting the growth!

The study is the first report of PFAS bioaccumulation by gut bacteria. Through extensive screening, we discovered bioaccumulation by a group of prevalent human gut bacteria and across a wide concentration range (as low as 0.34 nM).

Great collaboration with @savitski-lab.bsky.social! Thank you for this impactful collaboration!

thank you @tbharat-lab.bsky.social lab! So cool to see the PFAS inside single cells with your technology!

Thank you @lisamaierlab.bsky.social for this great collaboration!