Quantification of butyryl CoA:acetate CoA-transferase genes reveals different butyrate production capacity in individuals according to diet and age

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 316; no. 2; pp. 130 - 135
• Main Authors: Hippe, Berit, Zwielehner, Jutta, Liszt, Kathrin, Lassl, Cornelia, Unger, Frank, Haslberger, Alexander G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2011; Wiley-Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Acyl Coenzyme A - metabolism; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Bacteria; Bacteria - enzymology; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Butyrates - metabolism; butyric acid; Clostridium; Clostridium - enzymology; Clostridium - genetics; Clostridium - isolation & purification; Clostridium - metabolism; Coenzyme A-Transferases - genetics; Coenzyme A-Transferases - metabolism; Colon; Degenerative diseases; Diet; elderly; Eubacterium rectale; Fatty acids; Feces - chemistry; Feces - microbiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology; Geriatrics; gut microbiota; Humans; Immune response; Life Style; Male; Melting curve; Microbiology; Microbiota; Nutrition; Older people; qPCR; Thermal denaturation; vegetarian; Vegetarianism; Young Adult; vegetarian; butyric acid; nutrition; qPCR; elderly; gut microbiota; Human; Nutrition; Digestive system; Enzyme; Transferases; Gut; CoA-transferases; Microflora; Acetate CoA-transferase; Gene; Elderly; Age; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2010.02197.x

The gastrointestinal microbiota produces short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, which affect colonic health, immune function and epigenetic regulation. To assess the effects of nutrition and aging on the production of butyrate, the butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase gene and population shifts of Clostridium clusters lV and XlVa, the main butyrate producers, were analysed. Faecal samples of young healthy omnivores (24 ± 2.5 years), vegetarians (26 ± 5 years) and elderly (86 ± 8 years) omnivores were evaluated. Diet and lifestyle were assessed in questionnaire-based interviews. The elderly had significantly fewer copies of the butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase gene than young omnivores (P=0.014), while vegetarians showed the highest number of copies (P=0.048). The thermal denaturation of the butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase gene variant melting curve related to Roseburia/Eubacterium rectale spp. was significantly more variable in the vegetarians than in the elderly. The Clostridium cluster XIVa was more abundant in vegetarians (P=0.049) and in omnivores (P<0.01) than in the elderly group. Gastrointestinal microbiota of the elderly is characterized by decreased butyrate production capacity, reflecting increased risk of degenerative diseases. These results suggest that the butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase gene is a valuable marker for gastrointestinal microbiota function.