Cited by 285Gut microbiota and healthInfant Nutrition and HealthProbiotics and Fermented Foods

Bifidobacteria exhibit social behavior through carbohydrate resource sharing in the gut

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Milani, Christian, Lugli, Gabriele Andrea, Duranti, Sabrina, Turroni, Francesca, Mancabelli, Leonardo, Ferrario, Chiara, Mangifesta, Marta, Hevia, Arancha +12 more·2015·Scientific Reports

Abstract

Bifidobacteria are common and frequently dominant members of the gut microbiota of many animals, including mammals and insects. Carbohydrates are considered key carbon sources for the gut microbiota, imposing strong selective pressure on the complex microbial consortium of the gut. Despite its importance, the genetic traits that facilitate carbohydrate utilization by gut microbiota members are still poorly characterized. Here, genome analyses of 47 representative Bifidobacterium (sub)species revealed the genes predicted to be required for the degradation and internalization of a wide range of carbohydrates, outnumbering those found in many other gut microbiota members. The glycan-degrading abilities of bifidobacteria are believed to reflect available carbon sources in the mammalian gut. Furthermore, transcriptome profiling of bifidobacterial genomes supported the involvement of various chromosomal loci in glycan metabolism. The widespread occurrence of bifidobacterial saccharolytic features is in line with metagenomic and metatranscriptomic datasets obtained from human adult/infant faecal samples, thereby supporting the notion that bifidobacteria expand the human glycobiome. This study also underscores the hypothesis of saccharidic resource sharing among bifidobacteria through species-specific metabolic specialization and cross feeding, thereby forging trophic relationships between members of the gut microbiota.

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Authors
Milani, C., Lugli, G. A., Duranti, S., Turroni, F., Mancabelli, L., Ferrario, C., Mangifesta, M., Hevia, A., Viappiani, A., Scholz, M., Arioli, S., Sanchez, B., Lane, J., Ward, D. V., Hickey, R., Mora, D., Segata, N., Margolles, A., van Sinderen, D., & Ventura, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Parma (IT)
  • National University of Ireland (IE)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
  • University of Trento (IT)
  • Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (IE)
  • Broad Institute (US)
  • University of Milan (IT)
Corresponding author
Ventura, Marco
Venue
Scientific Reports
Published
2015-10-28
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
15782-15782
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2302783498
Cited by
284
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI
9.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Institutional Research Information System (Università degli Studi di Trento) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHSN272200900018C)
  • European Commission (618833)
  • Science Foundation Ireland (SFI/12/RC/, 12/RC/2273, 12/RC/, SFI/12/RC/2273., 08/SRC/B1393)
  • Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
  • Fondazione Cassa Di Risparmio Di Trento E Rovereto
  • Alimentary Glycoscience Research Cluster (08/SRC/B1393)
  • National Institutes of Health (HHSN272200900018C)
  • APC Microbiome Institute (SFI/12/RC/2273)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (HHSN272200900018C)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Keywords
Bifidobacterium, gut microbiota, carbohydrate utilization, glycan degradation, cross-feeding, resource sharing, gene expression profiling, human faecal microbiota, insect gut microbiota, metabolic specialization
MeSH terms
Adult, Bifidobacterium, Carbohydrates, Feces, Humans, Infant, Gastrointestinal Tract, Carbohydrate Metabolism

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