STUDY REVEALS METABOLISM OF KEY GUT MICROBIOTA

IIT MADRAS STUDY REVEALS METABOLISM OF KEY GUT MICROBIOTA

Study by IIT Madras researchers of 36 strains of gut bacteria commonly found in the gut reveals their metabolism and could bring added rigour into the development of probiotics

Human gut microbiome has a huge number of beneficial bacteria, collectively called commensals, living in it

Among these are the bacteria of the Bifidobacterium genus

Bifidobadcterium are known to be early colonisers of the breastfed infant gut

In the studied strains of bacteria, the researchers find that acetate production is strain – specific, unlike the production of lactate

Knowing which bacteria can produce acetate and lactate under a variety of conditions is very helpful

It determines the power of these bacteria to acidify the gut and make it harder for harmful bacteria to grow

Study underlines the power of analysing metabolic capabilities to define the properties of the human gut microbiota 

Also can be leveraged for commercial purposes to produce probiotics

Bifidobacterium: A genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, often branched anaerobic bacteria

Based on the growth profiles under different O₂ concentrations, the Bifidobacterium species were classified into four classes: O₂-hypersensitive, O₂-sensitive, O₂-tolerant, and microaerophilic

Bifidobacteria are one of the major genera of bacteria that make up the gastrointestinal tract microbiota in mammals

They are ubiquitous inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract, vagina and mouth (B. dentium) of mammals, including humans

Some bifidobacteria are used as probiotics

Adding Bifidobacterium as a probiotic to conventional treatment of ulcerative colitis has been shown to be associated with improved rates of remission and improved maintenance of remission 

Bifidobacteria improve the gut mucosal barrier and lower levels of lipopolysaccharide in the intestine

Naturally occurring Bifidobacterium spp. may discourage the growth of Gram-negative pathogens in infants 

Bifidobacterium is the most common bacteria in the infant gut microbiome

Reduction of Bifidobacterium and increase in diversity of the infant gut microbiome occurs with less breast-milk intake and increase of solid food intake

Some Bifidobacterium strains are considered as important probiotics and used in the food industry.