Introduction to the special focus issue on the impact of diet on gut microbiota composition and function and future opportunities for nutritional modulation of the gut microbiome to improve human health

Abstract

Over the past decade, application of culture-independent, next generation DNA sequencing has dramatically enhanced our understanding of the composition of the gut microbiome and its association with human states of health and disease. Host genetics, age, and environmental factors such as where and who you live with, use of pre-, pro- and antibiotics, exercise and diet influence the short- and long-term composition of the microbiome. Dietary intake is a key determinant of microbiome composition and diversity and studies to date have linked long-term dietary patterns as well as short-term dietary interventions to the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome. The goal of this special focus issue was to review the role of diet in regulating the composition and function of the gut microbiota across the lifespan, from pregnancy to old age. Overall dietary patterns, as well as perturbations such as undernutrition and obesity, as well as the effects of dietary fiber/prebiotics and fat composition are explored.

Microbes, metabolites, and the gut–lung axis

“…71,73 Diet plays one of the most determinant roles in shaping the gut microbiome and represents one of the easiest and most attractive options for therapeutic interventions. 74 In a comparative study between African and European diets in children, the African diet, which is high in fiber and low in animal protein and fat, was linked with an enrichment of the genus Prevotella in the gut, while Bacteroides dominated in the high-protein and high-fat 'Western' diet. The African high-fiber diet supported the expansion of bacteria such as Prevotella and Xylanibacter that carry genes capable of fermenting fiber leading to the production of SCFA (e.g.…”

Mutual Interactions among Exercise, Sport Supplements and Microbiota

“…Metabolomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and glycomics have significantly contributed to clarifying the gut microbiome composition-which is now almost completely known-and its association with human health [15]. The MetaHIT and Microbiome Project (HMP) consortia worked hard on determining the baseline structure and function of microbiomes, producing a complete list of species and related genes.…”

The Th17/Treg Cell Balance: A Gut Microbiota-Modulated Story

“…The vertebrate intestine harbors a complex and dynamic population of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiota, which co-evolved with the host by maintaining a symbiotic relationship [1][2][3]. These microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, are present in numbers that are 10 times greater than the number of host cells [4,5].…”