Eating For Two: How Metabolism Establishes Interspecies Interactions in the Gut

In bacterial communities, “tight economic times” are the norm. Of the many challenges bacteria face in making a living, perhaps none are more important than generating energy, maintaining redox balance, and acquiring carbon and nitrogen to synthesize primary metabolites. The ability of bacteria to m...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell host & microbe 2011-10, Vol.10 (4), p.336-347
Main Authors: Fischbach, Michael A., Sonnenburg, Justin L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Carbon - metabolism
Energy Metabolism
Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology
Humans
Metagenome - physiology
Microbial Interactions
Nitrogen - metabolism
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Summary:In bacterial communities, “tight economic times” are the norm. Of the many challenges bacteria face in making a living, perhaps none are more important than generating energy, maintaining redox balance, and acquiring carbon and nitrogen to synthesize primary metabolites. The ability of bacteria to meet these challenges depends heavily on the rest of their community. Indeed, the most fundamental way in which bacteria communicate is by importing the substrates for metabolism and exporting metabolic end products. As an illustration of this principle, we will travel down a carbohydrate catabolic pathway common to many species of Bacteroides, highlighting the interspecies interactions established (often inevitably) at its key steps. We also discuss the metabolic considerations in maintaining the stability of host-associated microbial communities.
ISSN:1931-3128
1934-6069
DOI:10.1016/j.chom.2011.10.002