Loading...
Pathogenic functions of host microbiota.
Rath, Silke Rud, Tatjana Pieper, Dietmar Helmut
Rath, Silke
Rud, Tatjana
Pieper, Dietmar Helmut
Citations
Altmetric:
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Issue Date
2018-09-28
Submitted date
Files
Loading...
Open Access publication
Adobe PDF, 1.64 MB
Other Titles
Abstract
It is becoming evident that certain features of human microbiota, encoded by distinct autochthonous taxa, promote disease. As a result, borders between the so-called opportunistic pathogens, pathobionts, and commensals are increasingly blurred, and specific targets for manipulating microbiota to improve host health are becoming elusive. In this study, we focus on the functions of host bacterial communities that have the potential to cause disease, proposing the term "pathogenic function (pathofunction)". The concept is presented via three distinct examples, namely, the formation of (i) trimethylamine, (ii) secondary bile acids, and (iii) hydrogen sulfide, which represent metabolites of the gut microbiota linked to the development of non-communicable diseases. Using publicly available metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data (n = 2975), we quantified those pathofunctions in health and disease and exposed the key players. Pathofunctions were ubiquitously present with increased abundances in patient groups. Overall, the three pathofunctions were detected at low mean concentrations (< 1% of total bacteria carried respective genes) and encompassed various taxa, including uncultured members. We outline how this function-centric approach, where all members of a community exhibiting a particular pathofunction are redundant, can contribute to risk assessment and the development of precision treatment directing gut microbiota to increase host health.
Citation
Publisher
Journal
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Additional Links
Embedded video
Type
Article
Language
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
2049-2618
EISSN
ISBN
ISMN
Gov't Doc #
Sponsors
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States