Obesity is characterised by altered gut microbiota, low-grade inflammation and increased endocannabinoid (eCB) system tone; however, a clear connection between gut microbiota and eCB signalling has yet to be confirmed. Here, we report that gut microbiota modulate the intestinal eCB system tone, which in turn regulates gut permeability and plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. The impact of th...

The human gut microbiota is a metabolic organ whose cellular composition is determined by a dynamic process of selection and competition. To identify microbial genes required for establishment of human symbionts in the gut, we developed an approach (insertion sequencing, or INSeq) based on a mutagenic transposon that allows capture of adjacent chromosomal DNA to define its genomic location. We ...

JB The gut microbiota are comprised of countless millions of microorganisms that live inside the human digestive tract, all the way from the mouth to the anus. These microorganisms are essential for human survival and have many nutritive and nonnutritive functions. For example, the gut microbiota synthesize nutrients into forms that the body can absorb; produce short-chain fatty acids, which ar...

The human gut microbiota contributes to human health by aiding functions such as digestion, protection against pathogens, host immunity activation, and central nervous system regulation. Its composition is influenced by many effectors such as diet, genetics, and delivery mode. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that an overly clean living environment increases the incidence of asthma, inflammation...

BACKGROUND Establishment of the human gut microbiota begins at birth. This early-life microbiota development can impact host physiology during infancy and even across an entire life span. However, the functional stability and population structure of the gut microbiota during initial colonization remain poorly understood. Metaproteomics is an emerging technology for the large-scale characterizat...

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Lactococcus sp. strain Rs-Y01, which was isolated from the gut of a wood-feeding termite. The genome information will facilitate the study of the symbiotic functions of this strain in the termite gut.

Objective(s): Prenatal stresses increase incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders and influence cognitive abilities. Glucocorticoids are released in stress condition as endpoint activation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Evidence indicates a cross-talk between gut microbiota and brain function. This study assesses the effect of probiotic supplementation ...

Gut granules are specialized lysosome-related organelles that act as sites of fat storage in Caenorhabditis elegans intestinal cells. We identified mutations in a gene, glo-3, that functions in the formation of embryonic gut granules. Some glo-3(-) alleles displayed a complete loss of embryonic gut granules, while other glo-3(-) alleles had reduced numbers of gut granules. A subset of glo-3 all...

Many enteropathogenic bacteria target the mammalian gut. The mechanisms protecting the host from infection are poorly understood. We have studied the protective functions of secretory antibodies (sIgA) and the microbiota, using a mouse model for S. typhimurium diarrhea. This pathogen is a common cause of diarrhea in humans world-wide. S. typhimurium (S. tm(att), sseD) causes a self-limiting gut...

Gut microbiota and its metabolites play pivotal roles in host physiology and pathology. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as a group of metabolites, exert positive regulatory effects on energy metabolism, hormone secretion, immune inflammation, hypertension, and cancer. The functions of SCFAs are related to their activation of transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors and their inhibition of his...