Title |
REVIEW] The Ruminococci: key symbionts of the gut ecosystem |
Author |
Alex J. La Reau and Garret Suen* |
Address |
Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA |
Bibliography |
Journal of Microbiology, 56(3),199–208, 2018,
|
DOI |
10.1007/s12275-018-8024-4
|
Key Words |
microbiota, host-microbe interactions, symbiosis,
polysaccharide degradation, Ruminococcus |
Abstract |
Mammalian gut microbial communities form intricate mutualisms
with their hosts, which have profound implications
on overall health. One group of important gut microbial mutualists
are bacteria in the genus Ruminococcus, which serve
to degrade and convert complex polysaccharides into a variety
of nutrients for their hosts. Isolated decades ago from the bovine
rumen, ruminococci have since been cultured from other
ruminant and non-ruminant sources, and next-generation
sequencing has further shown their distribution to be widespread
in a diversity of animal hosts. While most ruminococci
that have been studied are those capable of degrading
cellulose, much less is known about non-cellulolytic, nonruminant-
associated species, such as those found in humans.
Furthermore, a mechanistic understanding of the role of
Ruminococcus spp. in their respective hosts is still a work in
progress. This review highlights the broad work done on
species within the genus Ruminococcus with respect to their
physiology, phylogenetic relatedness, and their potential impact
on host health. |