Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2021 Feb 26;87(6). doi: 10.1128/AEM.02757-20.
The human colon contains a community of microbial species, mostly bacteria, which is often referred to as the gut microbiota. The community is considered essential to human well-being by conferring additional energy-harvesting capacity, niche exclusion of pathogens, and molecular signaling activities that are integrated into human physiological processes. Plant polysaccharides (glycans, dietary fiber) are an important source of carbon and energy that supports the maintenance and functioning of the gut microbiota. Therefore, the daily quantity and quality of plant glycans consumed by the human host have the potential to influence health. Members of the gut microbiota differ in ability to utilize different types of plant glycans. Dietary interventions with specific glycans could modulate the microbiota, counteracting ecological perturbations that disrupt the intricate relationships between microbiota and host (dysbiosis). This review considers prospects and research options for modulation of the gut microbiota by the formulation of diets that, when consumed habitually, would correct dysbiosis by building diverse consortia that boost functional resilience. Traditional "prebiotics" favor bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, whereas dietary mixtures of plant glycans that are varied in chemical complexity would promote high-diversity microbiotas. It is concluded that research should aim at improving knowledge of bacterial consortia that, through shared nourishment, degrade and ferment plant glycans. The consortia may vary in composition from person to person, but functional outputs will be consistent in a given context because of metabolic redundancy among bacteria. Thus, the individuality of gut microbiotas could be encompassed, functional resilience encouraged, and correction of dysbiosis achieved.
人类结肠内含有一个微生物物种群落，主要是细菌，通常被称为肠道微生物群。该群落被认为对人类健康至关重要，因为它赋予了人类额外的能量获取能力、病原体的生态位排斥能力以及整合到人体生理过程中的分子信号活动。植物多糖（糖，膳食纤维）是支持肠道微生物群的维持和功能的重要碳源和能量来源。因此，人类宿主每天消耗的植物糖的数量和质量有可能影响健康。肠道微生物群成员在利用不同类型的植物糖方面的能力存在差异。用特定的糖进行饮食干预可以调节微生物群，抵消破坏微生物群与宿主之间复杂关系（失调）的生态干扰。本文综述了通过制定饮食来调节肠道微生物群的前景和研究选择，当习惯性地食用这些饮食时，通过构建多样化的联合体来纠正失调，从而提高功能弹性。传统的“益生元”有利于双歧杆菌和乳杆菌，而在化学复杂性上多样化的植物糖饮食混合物将促进高多样性的微生物群。结论是，研究应旨在提高对细菌联合体的认识，这些细菌联合体通过共享营养物质来降解和发酵植物糖。这些联合体的组成可能因人而异，但由于细菌之间存在代谢冗余，在给定的环境中，功能输出将是一致的。因此，可以包含肠道微生物群的个体性，鼓励功能弹性，并纠正失调。
