Polysaccharides catabolism by the human gut bacterium -Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron: advances and perspectives

Abstract

In recent years, the degradation processes of polysaccharides by human gut microbiota are receiving considerable attention due to the discoveries of the powerful function of gut microbiota. Gut microbiota has developed a sensitive, accurate, and complex system for sensing, capturing, and degrading different polysaccharides. Among the gut microbiota, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a representative species of Bacteroides, is considered as the best degrader of polysaccharides and a potential probiotic in pharmaceutical and food industries. Here, we summarize the degradation system of B. thetaiotaomicron and the degradation pathways of different polysaccharides by B. thetaiotaomicron. We also describe a technical route for investigating a specific polysaccharide degradation pathway by human gut bacteria. In addition, we also provide the future perspectives in the development of novel polysaccharides or oligosaccharides drugs, precision microbiology medicine, and personalized nutrition.

Keywords:

• Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
• degradation
• pathway
• polysaccharides

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFA0902000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81673589), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20191317), “Double First-Class” University Project (CPU 2018GF08), the “111 Project” from the Ministry of Education of China and the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs of China (No. 111-2-07), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD).