Butyrate producers, “The Sentinel of Gut”: Their intestinal significance with and beyond butyrate, and prospective use as microbial therapeutics

Abstract

Gut-microbial butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) of significant physiological importance than the other major SCFAs (acetate and propionate). Most butyrate producers belong to the Clostridium cluster of the phylum Firmicutes, such as Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Eubacterium, Anaerostipes, Coprococcus, Subdoligranulum, and Anaerobutyricum. They metabolize carbohydrates via the butyryl-CoA: acetate CoA-transferase pathway and butyrate kinase terminal enzymes to produce most of butyrate. Although, in minor fractions, amino acids can also be utilized to generate butyrate via glutamate and lysine pathways. Butyrogenic microbes play a vital role in various gut-associated metabolisms. Butyrate is used by colonocytes to generate energy, stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor to maintain the anaerobic environment in the gut, maintains gut barrier integrity by regulating Claudin-1 and synaptopodin expression, limits pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-12), and inhibits oncogenic pathways (Akt/ERK, Wnt, and TGF-β signaling). Colonic butyrate producers shape the gut microbial community by secreting various anti-microbial substances, such as cathelicidins, reuterin, and β-defensin-1, and maintain gut homeostasis by releasing anti-inflammatory molecules, such as IgA, vitamin B, and microbial anti-inflammatory molecules. Additionally, butyrate producers, such as Roseburia, produce anti-carcinogenic metabolites, such as shikimic acid and a precursor of conjugated linoleic acid. In this review, we summarized the significance of butyrate, critically examined the role and relevance of butyrate producers, and contextualized their importance as microbial therapeutics.

High Viscosity Slows the Utilization of Rapidly Fermentable Dietary Fiber by Human Gut Microbiota

“…This could be attributed to donor 2 having a higher relative abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitizii OTU217, Anaerostipes hadrus OTU41, Blautia OTU254, Eubacterium rectale ATCC33656 OTU133, Ruminococcus torques group OTU48, and Ruminococcus N15.MGS57 OTU112 (Figure ). In contrast, donor 1 had a high relative abundance of Prevotella , which accounted for over 50% of the initial microbiota composition (Figure ) and is known as a propionate-producing bacterium. Therefore, donor 1 exhibited higher propionate production than butyrate.…”

Multiomics Analysis Revealed Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis

“…Numbers of studies have investigated the antitumorigenic role of bacteria that are considered pathogens Anaerostipes, which is a butyrate producer, has been found to be associated with various ailments . A study reported that Vibrio could generate a cytotoxin termed motility-associated killing factor A (MakA).…”

Mannan-oligosaccharides promote gut microecological recovery after antibiotic disturbance

“…[47][48][49] Acetylene and propionate degradation can also regulate the production of SCFAs. 50 Amino acid metabolism, 51 such as lysine synthesis and glutamate degradation, and pathways under fatty acid metabolism 52,53 help produce SCFAs, provide energy, and regulate intestinal immune function. Butyric acid growth provides the energy required to produce colonic mucus, and Akkermansia stimulates the production and metabolism of colonic mucus.…”