Polysaccharide from wild morels alters the spatial structure of gut microbiota and the production of short-chain fatty acids in mice

Abstract

Polysaccharides from morels possess many characteristics beneficial to health, such as anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the modulation of immune function. However, the impact of morel polysaccharides on the gut microbiota has not yet been explored. In this study, a high-throughput pyrosequencing technique was used to investigate the effects of MP, a new heteropolysaccharide extracted from wild morels, on the diversity and composition of microbiota along the intestine in mice, as well as the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The results showed that MP treatment increased the number of OTUs and diversity along the intestine, especially in the small intestine. MP treatment induced a significant decrease in the number of Firmicutes and a significant increase in the number of Bacteroidetes in the small intestine microbiota. It was also observed that the relative abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria, especially Lachnospiraceae, was increased in both the cecum and colon of MP-treated mice. Moreover, MP promoted the production of SCFAs in mice. These results provide a foundation for further understanding the health benefits conferred by morel polysaccharides.