Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis and Its Preference for Host Glycans
Author Information
Author(s): Garrido Daniel, Kim Jae Han, German J. Bruce, Raybould Helen E., Mills David A.
Primary Institution: University of California Davis
Hypothesis
How do the oligosaccharide binding proteins (F1SBPs) in Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis interact with host glycans?
Conclusion
The study provides evidence that B. infantis has adapted to the infant gut environment by developing specific binding proteins for host-derived oligosaccharides.
Supporting Evidence
- B. infantis has a unique set of F1SBPs that bind to various mammalian oligosaccharides.
- Half of the F1SBPs in B. infantis were found to bind mammalian oligosaccharides.
- Growth on human milk oligosaccharides induced the expression of specific binding proteins.
- Some F1SBPs were shown to adhere to intestinal epithelial cells in vitro.
Takeaway
Bifidobacterium infantis can grab onto sugars from human milk and other sources to help it grow in babies' tummies.
Methodology
The study used the Mammalian Glycan Array to analyze the binding affinities of F1SBPs from B. infantis and correlated these with protein expression induced by different prebiotics.
Limitations
The study primarily focuses on in vitro findings, which may not fully represent in vivo conditions.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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