Microbial metabolites as modulators of the infant gut microbiome and host-microbial interactions in early life

ABSTRACT

The development of infant gut microbiome is a pivotal process affecting the ecology and function of the microbiome, as well as host health. While the establishment of the infant microbiome has been of interest for decades, the focus on gut microbial metabolism and the resulting small molecules (metabolites) has been rather limited. However, technological and computational advances are now enabling researchers to profile the plethora of metabolites in the infant gut, allowing for improved understanding of how gut microbial-derived metabolites drive microbiome community structuring and host-microbial interactions. Here, we review the current knowledge on development of the infant gut microbiota and metabolism within the first year of life, and discuss how these microbial metabolites are key for enhancing our basic understanding of interactions during the early life developmental window.

KEYWORDS:

• Metabolites
• metabolomics
• infants
• microbiota
• health
• host
• diet

Author contributions

H.M.R, C.S., and L.H. wrote the manuscript. H.M.R. designed the figures. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (MOTILITY; grant no. 0171-00006B to H.M.R.). LJH is supported by Wellcome Trust Investigator Award 220876/Z/20/Z; the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Institute Strategic Programme Gut Microbes and Health BB/R012490/1, and its constituent projects BBS/E/F/000PR10353 and BBS/E/F/000PR10356. CS is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, APC Microbiome Ireland and Vistamilk. The funders had no role in decision to publish and preparation of the manuscript.