Intracellular glycogen accumulation by human gut commensals as a niche adaptation trait

The human gut microbiota is a key contributor to host metabolism and physiology, thereby impacting in various ways on host health. This complex microbial community has developed many metabolic strategies to colonize, persist and survive in the gastrointestinal environment. In this regard, intracellu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gut microbes 2023-12, Vol.15 (1), p.2235067-2235067
Main Authors: Esteban-Torres, Maria, Ruiz, Lorena, Rossini, Valerio, Nally, Ken, van Sinderen, Douwe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
bacteria-host interactions
carbohydrate-active enzymes
colonization factors
commensal bacteria
glycogen metabolism
gut microbiota
microbiome
Review
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The human gut microbiota is a key contributor to host metabolism and physiology, thereby impacting in various ways on host health. This complex microbial community has developed many metabolic strategies to colonize, persist and survive in the gastrointestinal environment. In this regard, intracellular glycogen accumulation has been associated with important physiological functions in several bacterial species, including gut commensals. However, the role of glycogen storage in shaping the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota offers a novel perspective in gut microbiome research. Here, we review what is known about the enzymatic machinery and regulation of glycogen metabolism in selected enteric bacteria, while we also discuss its potential impact on colonization and adaptation to the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, we survey the presence of such glycogen biosynthesis pathways in gut metagenomic data to highlight the relevance of this metabolic trait in enhancing survival in the highly competitive and dynamic gut ecosystem.
ISSN:1949-0976
1949-0984
DOI:10.1080/19490976.2023.2235067