Genomic and metabolic studies of the impact of probiotics on a model gut symbiont and host.

ABSTRACT: Probiotics are deliberately ingested preparations of live bacterial species that confer health benefits on the host. Many of these species are associated with the fermentation of dairy products. Despite their increasing use, the molecular details of the impact of various probiotic preparations on resident members of the gut microbiota and the host are generally lacking. To address this issue, we colonized germ-free mice with Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a prominent component of the adult human gut microbiota, and Bifidobacterium longum, a minor member but a commonly used probiotic. Simultaneous whole genome transcriptional profiling of both bacterial species in their gut habitat and of the intestinal epithelium, combined with mass-spectrometric analysis of habitat-associated carbohydrates

SUBMITTER: Sonnenburg JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1661682 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature