title: Proteobacteria: microbial signature of dysbiosis in gut microbiota.
abstract: Recent advances in sequencing techniques, applied to the study of microbial communities, have provided compelling evidence that the mammalian intestinal tract harbors a complex microbial community whose composition is a critical determinant of host health in the context of metabolism and inflammation. Given that an imbalanced gut microbiota often arises from a sustained increase in abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria, the natural human gut flora normally contains only a minor proportion of this phylum. Here, we review studies that explored the association between an abnormal expansion of Proteobacteria and a compromised ability to maintain a balanced gut microbial community. We also propose that an increased prevalence of Proteobacteria is a potential diagnostic signature of dysbiosis and risk of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Na-Ri
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Woong
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Whon
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea. Electronic address: baejw@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jin-Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064806:Dysbiosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006801:Humans; D020560:Proteobacteria
keywords: Proteobacteria; dysbiosis; microbiota