Bacteroides Influence on Host Behavior
Introduction
The human gut is colonized by bacteria, around 1013 organisms and between 500 and 1,000 species. Many of these species share a special mutualism with the host, breaking down substrates that host enzymes are not capable of utilizing. A particularly important species in the human gut is Bacteriodes thetaiomicron. B. thetaiomicron is a gram-negative bacteria that is anaerobic, it breaks down polysaccharides from plants into simple sugars and fermentation products. The human host is able to store these fermentation products as energy. This is a useful tool for humans when the amount and type of food available is varied: when it is important to store energy efficiently. However, in the modern western world, our diets have shifted substantially to large-portion, high-calorie meals. This diet results in the benefit of efficient fat storage once facilitated by B. thetaiomicron becoming a detriment: that is, contributing to obesity and a variety of other unhealthy phenomena in the human body.
The Human Gut Flora
A diverse range of substrates enter our bodies to be broken down and converted into energy. While our digestive system is able to break down many substrates, it relies heavily on the plethora of microbes living in it to metabolize certain substrates. The bacteria present in the human gut aid in catabolism of many molecules, some of which would even be toxic to the digestive system in the absence of bacteria. Of the 1013 some organisms who call the human gut home, two classes of bacteria are particularly important: Bacteroides and Firmacutes make up around 92.6% of all the microbes associated with the human microbia (REFERENCE). Bacteroides reside in the human colon, and are gram-negative, rod shaped bacteria that use anaerobic respiration to break down polysaccharides from plant fibers.
What this Means for Humans
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Possible Therapeutic Options
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Conclusion
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References
Edited by student of Joan Slonczewski for BIOL 238 Microbiology, 2009, Kenyon College.
