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. 2014 Mar-Apr;5(2):146-51.
doi: 10.4161/gmic.27651. Epub 2014 Jan 22.

Ecology and metabolism of the beneficial intestinal commensal bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii

Sylvie Miquel  1 , Rebeca Martín  1 , Chantal Bridonneau  1 , Véronique Robert  1 , Harry Sokol  2 , Luis G Bermúdez-Humarán  1 , Muriel Thomas  1 , Philippe Langella  1
Affiliations

Ecology and metabolism of the beneficial intestinal commensal bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii

Sylvie Miquel et al. Gut Microbes. 2014 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a major commensal bacterium, and its prevalence is often decreased in conditions of intestinal dysbiosis. The phylogenic identity of this bacterium was described only recently. It is still poorly characterized, and its specific growth requirements in the human gastrointestinal tract are not known. In this review, we consider F. prausnitzii metabolism, its ecophysiology in both humans and animals, and the effects of drugs and nutrition on its population. We list important questions about this beneficial and ubiquitous commensal bacterium that it would be valuable to answer.

Keywords: ecophysiology; medicine; metabolism; nutrition.

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Figures

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Figure 1. Main questions still unresolved about F. prausnitzii.
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Figure 2. Kinetics of implantation of F. prausnitzii. Changes in human fecal F. prausnitzii populations with host age (adapted from Hopkins et al., Balamurugan et al. and Van Tongeren et al.).,,
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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