Kinetic modelling of lactate utilization and butyrate production by key human colonic bacterial species

Abstract

Butyrate is the preferred energy source for colonocytes and has an important role in gut health; in contrast, accumulation of high concentrations of lactate is detrimental to gut health. The major butyrate-producing bacterial species in the human colon belong to the Firmicutes. Eubacterium hallii and a new species, Anaerostipes coli SS2/1, members of clostridial cluster XIVa, are able to utilize lactate and acetate via the butyryl CoA : acetate CoA transferase route, the main metabolic pathway for butyrate synthesis in the human colon. Here we provide a mathematical model to analyse the production of butyrate by lactate-utilizing bacteria from the human colon. The model is an aggregated representation of the fermentation pathway. The parameters of the model were estimated using total least squares and maximum likelihood, based on in vitro experimental data with E. hallii L2-7 and A. coli SS2/1. The findings of the mathematical model adequately match those from the bacterial batch culture experiments. Such an in silico approach should provide insight into carbohydrate fermentation and short-chain fatty acid cross-feeding by dominant species of the human colonic microbiota.

Daikenchuto (TU‐100) shapes gut microbiota architecture and increases the production of ginsenoside metabolite compound K

“…2014), and Roseburia intestinalis and Eubacterium hallii that produce butyrate (Munoz‐Tamayo et al. 2011; Van den Abbeele et al. 2013).…”

Production of Butyrate from Lactate by a Newly Isolated Clostridium sp. BPY5

“…Lactic acid is produced by many of the microorganisms that colonize the digestive tract of animals and humans [7]. High concentrations of lactate are usually associated with short bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis and can lead to neurotoxicity and cardiac arrhythmia [26]. However, lactate is detected at low levels in healthy subjects [27].…”

“…However, lactate is detected at low levels in healthy subjects [27]. Lactate is mainly converted to other organic acids, such as butyric acid that is the preferred energy source for colonocytes and has an important role in gut health [26,28]. Therefore, lactate-utilizing bacteria are important to control lactate concentration in the large intestine.…”

Probiotics and Lactose Intolerance

“…In the presence of sulphate, lactate may be metabolized by sulphate-reducing bacteria, producing toxic sulphide as byproduct [20]. On the other hand lactate together with acetate can be converted by different groups of bacteria into butyrate; for instance by bacteria such as Eubacterium hallii and Anaerostipes cacca [21]. Butyrate is thought to be beneficial for colonic health.…”