The Gut Microbiota and their Metabolites: Potential Implications for the Host Epigenome

Mona Mischke, Torsten Plösch

OnderzoeksoutputAcademic

54 Citaten (Scopus)

Samenvatting

The gut microbiota represents a metabolically active biomass of up to 2 kg in adult humans. Microbiota-derived molecules significantly contribute to the host metabolism. Large amounts of bacterial metabolites are taken up by the host and are subsequently utilized by the human body. For instance, short chain fatty acids produced by the gut microbiota are a major energy source of humans.

It is widely accepted that microbiota-derived metabolites are used as fuel for beta-oxidation (short chain fatty acids) and participate in many metabolic processes (vitamins, such as folic acid). Apart from these direct metabolic effects, it also becomes more and more evident that these metabolites can interact with the mammalian epigenetic machinery. By interacting with histones and DNA they may be able to manipulate the host's chromatin state and functionality and hence its physiology and health.

In this chapter, we summarize the current knowledge on possible interactions of different bacterial metabolites with the mammalian epigenetic machinery, mostly based on in vitro data. We discuss the putative impact on chromatin marks, for example histone modifications and DNA methylation. Subsequently, we speculate about possible beneficial and adverse consequences for the epigenome, the physiology and health of the host, as well as plausible future applications of this knowledge for in vivo translation to support personal health.

Originele taal-2English
TitelMICROBIOTA OF THE HUMAN BODY: IMPLICATIONS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
SubtitelImplications in Health and Disease
RedacteurenAndreas Schwiertz
UitgeverijSPRINGER INT PUBLISHING AG
Pagina's33-44
Aantal pagina's12
Volume902
ISBN van elektronische versie978-3-319-31248-4
ISBN van geprinte versie978-3-319-31246-0
DOI's
StatusPublished - 2016

Publicatie series

NaamAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
UitgeverijSpringer International Publishing
Volume902
ISSN van geprinte versie0065-2598
ISSN van elektronische versie0065-2598

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