Biochemistry of complex glycan depolymerisation by the human gut microbiota

Complex Glycan Catabolism by the Human Gut Microbiota: The Bacteroidetes Sus-like Paradigm*

Trillions of microbes inhabit the distal gut of adult humans. They have evolved to compete efficiently for nutrients, including a wide array of chemically diverse, complex glycans present in our diets, secreted by our intestinal mucosa, and displayed on the surfaces of other gut microbes. Here, we review how members of the Bacteroidetes, one of two dominant gut-associated bacterial phyla, proce...

Impact of the Gut Microbiota on Vaccine Responses

Non-responsiveness or poor responsiveness to vaccines are challenging issues in vaccine development, and efforts have been made to find out the potential reasons for these conditions. Intestinal microbiome plays a key role in regulating and development of immune system and the composition and diversity of microbiota in different individuals on the one hand, and the imbalance of intestinal micro...

Phytoestrogen Metabolism by Adult Human Gut Microbiota.

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived polyphenols with a structure similar to human estrogens. The three main groups of phytoestrogens, isoflavones, ellagitannins, and lignans, are transformed into equol, urolithins, and enterolignans, respectively, by bacteria. These metabolites have more estrogenic/antiestrogenic and antioxidant activities than their precursors, and they are more bioavailable. The...

Gut Microbiota and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

The Active Human Gut Microbiota Differs from the Total Microbiota

The human gut microbiota is considered one of the most fascinating reservoirs of microbial diversity hosting between 400 to 1000 bacterial species distributed among nine phyla with Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria representing around 75% of the diversity. One of the most intriguing issues relates to understanding which microbial groups are active players in the maintenance of the mi...