Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2026

Sequential Blood Collection from Inferior Vena Cava Followed by Portal Vein to Evaluate Gut Microbial Metabolites in Mice
Published on: June 21, 2024
Transporters and receptors for short-chain fatty acids as the molecular link between colonic bacteria and the host
Vadivel Ganapathy1, Muthusamy Thangaraju, Puttur D Prasad
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA.
Abstract:
The mutually beneficial relationship between colonic bacteria and the host has been recognized but the molecular aspects of the relationship remain poorly understood. Dietary fiber is critical to this relationship. The short-chain fatty acids acetate, propionate and butyrate, generated by bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber, serve as messengers between colonic bacteria and the host. The beneficial effects of these bacterial metabolites in colon include, but are not limited to, suppression of inflammation and prevention of cancer. Recent studies have identified the plasma membrane transporter SLC5A8 and the cell-surface receptors GPR109A and GPR43 as essential for the biologic effects of short-chain fatty acids in colon. These three proteins coded by the host genome provide the molecular link between colonic bacteria and the host.
Related Concept Videos
Functions of the Gut Microbiota
Microbiota of the Large Intestine
Bacterial Flora of the Large Intestine
The normal gut flora of the colon plays a critical role in generating essential vitamins such as vitamins K, B5, and B7.
Carbohydrate Absorption
After being swallowed, the partially digested carbohydrates mix with gastric secretions in the stomach. However, the acidic environment...
Membrane Transporters
Transporters are mainly composed of alpha-helices, built from bundles of ten or more helices traversing the plasma membrane. The solute-binding sites are located midway, where some of the helices are broken or distorted, making space for the binding site through...
ABC Transporters: Importer
In bacteria, based on the number of transmembrane helices and the chemical nature of their substrates, the ABC importers can be divided into three types:

