role of the normal gut microbiota

Relation between the gut microbiota and humanhealth is being increasingly recognised. It is nowwell established that a healthy gut flora is largelyresponsible for overall health of the host. The normalhuman gut microbiota comprises of two major phyla,namely Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Though thegu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inWorld journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 21; no. 29; pp. 8787 - 8803
Main Author Jandhyala, Sai Manasa
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 07.08.2015
Subjects
Age Factors
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use
Bacteriological Techniques
Bacteroidetes - drug effects
Bacteroidetes - genetics
Bacteroidetes - physiology
Bioinformatics;Health
Computational Biology
Diet
Firmicutes - drug effects
Firmicutes - genetics
Firmicutes - physiology
function
Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects
gut
Health Status
Homeostasis
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Humans
Immunomodulation
Intestines - drug effects
Intestines - microbiology
Metabolic
microbiota
Normal
Prebiotics
Probiotics - therapeutic use
Review
Synbiotics
Normal gut microbiota
Health
Immunomodulation
Bioinformatics
Metabolic function
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Summary:Relation between the gut microbiota and humanhealth is being increasingly recognised. It is nowwell established that a healthy gut flora is largelyresponsible for overall health of the host. The normalhuman gut microbiota comprises of two major phyla,namely Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Though thegut microbiota in an infant appears haphazard, itstarts resembling the adult flora by the age of 3years. Nevertheless, there exist temporal and spatialvariations in the microbial distribution from esophagusto the rectum all along the individual＇s life span.Developments in genome sequencing technologies andbioinformatics have now enabled scientists to studythese microorganisms and their function and microbehostinteractions in an elaborate manner both in healthand disease. The normal gut microbiota imparts specificfunction in host nutrient metabolism, xenobiotic anddrug metabolism, maintenance of structural integrityof the gut mucosal barrier, immunomodulation, andprotection against pathogens. Several factors play arole in shaping the normal gut microbiota. They include（1） the mode of delivery （vaginal or caesarean）; （2）diet during infancy （breast milk or formula feeds）and adulthood （vegan based or meat based）; and （3）use of antibiotics or antibiotic like molecules that arederived from the environment or the gut commensalcommunity. A major concern of antibiotic use isthe long-term alteration of the normal healthy gutmicrobiota and horizontal transfer of resistance genesthat could result in reservoir of organisms with amultidrug resistant gene pool.
Bibliography:Telephone: +91-40-23378888 Fax: +91-40-23324255
Correspondence to: Dr. Rupjyoti Talukdar, Department of Gastroenterology, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Asian Healthcare Foundation, 6-3-661 Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082, India. rup_talukdar@yahoo.com
Author contributions: Jandhyala SM reviewed the literature and drafted the manuscript; Talukdar R conceived, drafted, reviewed the manuscript and provided intellectual inputs; Vuyyuru H reviewed the literature and drafted the manuscript; Subramanyam C drafted the manuscript and provided intellectual inputs; Sasikala M drafted the manuscript and provided intellectual inputs; and Reddy DN reviewed the manuscript and provided intellectual inputs.
ISSN:1007-9327
2219-2840
DOI:10.3748/wjg.v21.i29.8787