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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice
Published on: July 25, 2017
Effects of Metabolites Derived From Gut Microbiota and Hosts on Pathogens
Zhendong Li1, Guomei Quan1, Xinyi Jiang1
1Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Intestinal metabolites participate in various physiological processes, including energy metabolism, cell-to-cell communication, and host immunity. These metabolites mainly originate from gut microbiota and hosts. Although many host metabolites are dominant in intestines, such as free fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins, the metabolites derived from gut microbiota are also essential for intestinal homeostasis. In addition, some metabolites are only generated and released by gut microbiota, such as bacteriocins, short-chain fatty acids, and quorum-sensing autoinducers. In this review, we summarize recent studies regarding the crosstalk between pathogens and metabolites from different sources, including the influence on bacterial development and the activation/inhibition of immune responses of hosts. All of these functions would affect the colonization of and infection by pathogens. This review provides clear ideas and directions for further exploring the regulatory mechanisms and effects of metabolites on pathogens.
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