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Extracellular metabolite production by Bacteroides strains varies depending on carbohydrates used as carbon sources | Applied and Environmental Microbiology
The human gut microbiota is closely linked to health, and metabolism of different types of dietary fibers is a core activity within this community. Many studies have investigated the composition of the microbiota and sought to relate the presence and abundance of species to health or disease, often attributing a genus or species to consumption or production of a certain metabolite to explain an overall phenotype. It is known that bacteria have different carbohydrate-degrading abilities, but they may not produce a static output of metabolites from the consumption of different carbohydrates, from monosaccharides to complex polysaccharides. This study demonstrates that common bacteria in the Bacteroides genus may drastically alter their production of extracellular metabolites. The findings add another layer of complexity to the dynamics of the gut environment and are important for better understanding the interplay among diet, the microbiota, and the host.
