A key genetic factor for fucosyllactose utilization affects infant gut microbiota development

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota development influences infants' health and subsequent host physiology. However, the factors shaping the development of the microbiota remain poorly understood, and the mechanisms through which these factors affect gut metabolite profiles have not been extensively investigated. Here we analyse gut microbiota development of 27 infants during the first month of life. We find three distinct clusters that transition towards Bifidobacteriaceae-dominant microbiota. We observe considerable differences in human milk oligosaccharide utilization among infant bifidobacteria. Colonization of fucosyllactose (FL)-utilizing bifidobacteria is associated with altered metabolite profiles and microbiota compositions, which have been previously shown to affect infant health. Genome analysis of infants' bifidobacteria reveals an ABC transporter as a key genetic factor for FL utilization. Thus, the ability of bifidobacteria to utilize FL and the presence of FL in breast milk may affect the development of the gut microbiota in infants, and might ultimately have therapeutic implications.

Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics

“…Importantly, the effects of any intervention will be affected by a variety of host and environmental factors 121 . Thus, the effects of prebiotics have the potential to vary widely on an individual basis.…”

Milk Glycans and Their Interaction with the Infant-Gut Microbiota

“…Growth on 2′-FL is strain dependent in B. breve (Ruiz-Moyano et al 2013). Matsuki et al (2016) examined bifidobacterial genomes and identified a putative fucosyllactose utilization pathway, which was associated with elevated acetate in the gut and altered microbiota composition. This work identified an ABC transporter as a component for fucosyllactose consumption in bifidobacteria (Matsuki et al 2016).…”

“…Matsuki et al (2016) examined bifidobacterial genomes and identified a putative fucosyllactose utilization pathway, which was associated with elevated acetate in the gut and altered microbiota composition. This work identified an ABC transporter as a component for fucosyllactose consumption in bifidobacteria (Matsuki et al 2016). The fucosyllactose solute-binding protein gene associated with this ABC transporter was knocked out in a B. breve strain, and the knockout strain showed limited growth on HMO (Matsuki et al 2016).…”

Biome engineering‐2020

“…Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides species could metabolize HMO, but not enteric Streptococcus , Veillonella , Eubacterium , Clostridium and E. coli assuring a selectivity of HMO as growth promoter for specific bacteria (Marcobal et al ., 2010). Considerable differences in HMO utilization exist among infant bifidobacteria opening opportunities for fine tuning with HMO (Matsuki et al ., 2016). Different Bifidobacterium or Bacteroides isolates followed different enzymatic strategies of either intracellular or extracellular HMO digestion.…”