Seal milk oligosaccharides rival human milk complexity and exhibit functional dynamics during lactation
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2025
Milk oligosaccharides are crucial for neonatal development and health in mammals. Yet most milk research focuses on humans, or on domesticated mammals that are poor in milk oligosaccharide complexity. Here, we perform an exhaustive mass spectrometry-driven structural characterization of milk oligosaccharides in a wild mammal, female Atlantic grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), throughout their lactation period. Characterizing and quantifying 332 milk oligosaccharides, including 166 unreported structures, we reveal seals to rival human milk in complexity. We report seal free oligosaccharides to reach up to 28 monosaccharides in size. Paired glycomics and metabolomics time course analysis establishes a concerted regulatory process reshaping the seal milk glycome throughout lactation, similar to human milk. Functional analysis of the structures we here characterized reveals anti-biofilm effects and immunomodulatory functions of seal milk oligosaccharides. Our findings challenge long-held assumptions about milk complexity of non-human mammals and enable insights into the functional relevance of complex carbohydrates in milk.
Författare
Chunsheng Jin
Göteborgs universitet
Jon Lundstrøm
Göteborgs universitet
Carmen R. Cori
Universität Basel
Shih Yun Guu
Academia Sinica
Alexander R. Bennett
Göteborgs universitet
Mirjam Dannborg
Göteborgs universitet
Chalmers, Life sciences, Systembiologi
Patrick P. Pomeroy
University of St Andrews
Malcolm W. Kennedy
College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences
Johan Bengtsson Palme
Göteborgs universitet
Chalmers, Life sciences, Systembiologi
Rachel Hevey
Universität Basel
Kay Hooi Khoo
Academia Sinica
Daniel Bojar
Göteborgs universitet
Nature Communications
2041-1723 (ISSN) 20411723 (eISSN)
Vol. 16 1 10067Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)
Molekylärbiologi
DOI
10.1038/s41467-025-66075-2
PubMed
41290693