Resistant starch is a prebiotic fiber that is best known for its ability
to increase butyrate production by the gut microbiota. This butyrate
then plays an important role modulating the immune system and
inflammation. However, the ability to use this resistant starch appears
to be a rare trait within the gut microbiota, with only a few species
such as Ruminococcus bromii and Bifidobacterium
adolescentis having been demonstrated to possess this ability.
Furthermore, these bacteria do not directly produce butyrate themselves,
rather they rely on cross-feeding interactions with other gut bacteria
for its production. Here we demonstrate that the often-used probiotic
organism Clostridium butyricum also possesses the ability to
utilize resistant starch from a number of sources, with direct
production of butyrate. We further explore the enzymes responsible for
this trait, demonstrating that they exhibit significant synergy, though
with different enzymes exhibiting more or less importance depending on
the source of the resistant starch. Thus, the co-administration of
Clostridium butyricum may have the ability to improve the
beneficial effects of resistant starch.
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