Host: The Japanese Society of Toxicology
Gut microbiota development affects infants’ and subsequent host health. Bifidobacteria are among the first to colonize the infant gut; however, how they dominate in the ecosystem are poorly understood. Here, we found that the ability of bifidobacteria to utilize fucosyllactose (FL) and its presence in breast milk are important factors affecting infant gut ecosystems. A novel, uncharacterized ABC transporter was a key factor for FL utilization. Further, we found that bifidobacteria possessing the transporter induce elevated acetate concentration, which have been shown to affect infant health.
