Extended Data Fig. 10. Working hypothesis.

The results of our study may indicate that certain species from the genus Bacteroides, particularly those recently reclassified under the genus Phocaeicola (e.g. Bacteroides vulgatus & Bacteroides dorei), may be implicated in the transition from remission to active disease in UC. We hypothesize that a stressor in the UC gut such as nutrient deprivation or cell-to-cell competition may increase protease production, and a switch in the utilization of carbohydrates to proteins as a nutrient source. Some of these proteases may be involved in the disruption of the epithelial barrier, allowing an influx of innate immune cells which further exacerbate disease.