An ecological network of polysaccharide utilization among human intestinal symbionts.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The human intestine is colonized with trillions of microorganisms important to health and disease. There has been an intensive effort to catalog the species and genetic content of this microbial ecosystem. However, little is known of the ecological interactions between these microbes, a prerequisite to understanding the dynamics and stability of this host-associated microbial community. Here we perform a systematic investigation of public goods-based syntrophic interactions among the abundant human gut bacteria, the Bacteroidales.

Results

We find evidence for a rich interaction network based on the breakdown and use of polysaccharides. Species that utilize a particular polysaccharide (producers) liberate polysaccharide breakdown products (PBPs) that are consumed b

SUBMITTER: Rakoff-Nahoum S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3924574 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature