gut microbiota
Enzymology and Protein EngineeringAn 1,4-α-Glucosyltransferase Defines a New Maltodextrin Catabolism Scheme in Lactobacillus acidophilusThe degradation of starch in the small intestine generates short linear and branched α-glucans. The latter are poorly digestible by humans, rendering them available to the gut microbiota, e.g., lactobacilli adapted to the small intestine and considered beneficial to health. This study unveils a previously unknown scheme of maltooligosaccharide (MOS) catabolism via the concerted activity of an 1,4-α-glucosyltransferase together with a...
MinireviewThe Gut Microbiota of Laying Hens and Its Manipulation with Prebiotics and Probiotics To Enhance Gut Health and Food SafetyThe microbiota plays a vital role in maintaining gut health and influences the overall performance of chickens. Most gut microbiota-related studies have been performed in broilers, which have different microbial communities compared to those of layers. The normal gut microbiota of laying chickens is dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Actinobacteria at...
Food MicrobiologyPrebiotics Inhibit Proteolysis by Gut Bacteria in a Host Diet-Dependent Manner: a Three-Stage Continuous In Vitro Gut Model ExperimentDietary protein levels are generally higher in Western populations than in the world average. We challenged three-stage continuous colonic model systems containing high protein levels and confirmed the production of potentially harmful metabolites from proteolysis, especially replicates of the transverse and distal colon. Fermentations of proteins with a prebiotic supplementation resulted in a change in the human gut microbiota and...
Microbial EcologyEcological and Ontogenetic Components of Larval Lake Sturgeon Gut Microbiota Assembly, Successional Dynamics, and Ecological Evaluation of Neutral Community ProcessesWe quantified the effects of environment (diet and water sources) and host early ontogenetic development on the diversity of and compositional changes in gut microbial communities based on massively parallel sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes from the GI tracts of larval lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). The gut microbial community diversity declined and the...
Environmental MicrobiologyDeciphering the Bifidobacterial Populations within the Canine and Feline Gut MicrobiotaCurrently, domesticated dogs and cats are the most cherished companion animals for humans, and concerns about their health and well-being are therefore important. In this context, the gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining and promoting host health. However, despite the social relevance of domesticated dogs and cats, their intestinal microbial communities are still far from being completely understood. In this study, the...
Environmental MicrobiologyAkkermansia muciniphila Prevents Fatty Liver Disease, Decreases Serum Triglycerides, and Maintains Gut HomeostasisThis study investigated the effect of Akkermansia muciniphila on fatty liver disease. Although some research about the effects of A. muciniphila on host health has been published, study of the relationship between A. muciniphila administration and fatty liver, as well as changes in the gut microbiota, has not been conducted. In this study, we...
Food MicrobiologySubstrate Use Prioritization by a Coculture of Five Species of Gut Bacteria Fed Mixtures of Arabinoxylan, Xyloglucan, β-Glucan, and PectinThis study addresses the question as to how bacterial species, characteristic of the human gut microbiota, collectively utilize mixtures of plant polysaccharides such as are found in dietary fiber. Five bacterial species with the capacity to degrade polymers and/or produce acidic fermentation products detectable in human feces were used in the experiments. The bacteria showed preferential use of certain polysaccharides over others for...
Invertebrate MicrobiologyEstablished Cotton Stainer Gut Bacterial Mutualists Evade Regulation by Host Antimicrobial PeptidesAnimal immune systems are central for the protection of hosts against enemies by preventing or eliminating successful infections. However, in the presence of beneficial bacterial mutualists, the immune system must strike a balance of not killing the beneficial symbionts while at the same time preventing enemy attacks. Here, using the cotton stainer bug, we reveal that its long-term associated bacterial symbionts are insensitive to the...
Public and Environmental Health Microbiology | SpotlightCommensal Escherichia coli Aggravates Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis through Targeting of Intestinal Epithelial CellsThis study describes the harmful potential of commensal E. coli in ANP, which has not been demonstrated in previous studies. Our work provides new insights into gut bacterium-ANP cross talk, suggesting that nonpathogenic commensals could also exhibit adverse effects in the context of diseases.
Food MicrobiologyPrebiotic Supplementation of In Vitro Fecal Fermentations Inhibits Proteolysis by Gut Bacteria, and Host Diet Shapes Gut Bacterial Metabolism and Response to InterventionDietary protein intake is high in Western populations, which could result in potentially harmful metabolites in the gut from proteolysis. In an in vitro fermentation model, the addition of prebiotics reduced the negative consequences of high protein levels. Supplementation with a prebiotic resulted in a reduction of proteolytic metabolites in the model. A difference was seen in protein fermentation between omnivore and...