title: Differential growth of bowel commensal Bacteroides species on plant xylans of differing structural complexity.
abstract: Alterations to the composition of the bowel microbiota (dysbioses) are associated with particular diseases and conditions of humans. There is a need to discover new, indigestible polysaccharides which are selective growth substrates for commensal bowel bacteria. These substrates (prebiotics) could be added to food in intervention studies to correct bowel dysbiosis. A collection of commensal bacteria was screened for growth in culture using a highly-branched xylan produced by New Zealand flax. Two, Bacteroides ovatus ATCC 8483 and Bacteroides xylanisolvens DSM 18836 grew well on this substrate. The utilisation of the xylan was studied chromatographically and by constituent sugar analysis. The two closely related species utilised the xylan in different ways, and differently from their use of wheat arabinoxylan. The growth of Bacteroides species on other plant xylans having differing chemical structures was also investigated. Novel xylans expand the choice of potential prebiotics that could be used to correct bowel dysbioses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: manuela.centanni@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Centanni
authors.affiliation: The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 33-436, Petone 5046, New Zealand. Electronic address: jhutchsion@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.affiliation: The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 33-436, Petone 5046, New Zealand. Electronic address: susie.carnachan@vuw.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carnachan
authors.affiliation: The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 33-436, Petone 5046, New Zealand. Electronic address: Alison.Daines@vuw.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Alison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Daines
authors.affiliation: Donvis Limited, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand. Electronic address: bill.kelly.donvis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; Riddet Institute Centre of Research Excellence, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand; Microbiome Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: gerald.tannock@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Gerald W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Tannock
authors.affiliation: The Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 33-436, Petone 5046, New Zealand; Microbiome Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: ian.sims@vuw.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Ian M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Sims
mesh_terms: D001439:Bacteroides / Q000254:growth & development*; D064806:Dysbiosis; D019597:Flax / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D011134:Polysaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; D013559:Symbiosis; D014990:Xylans / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; D014990:Xylans
keywords: Bacteroides; Human bowel microbiota; Prebiotics; Xylan