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Hadza Prevotella require diet-derived microbiota-accessible carbohydrates to persist in mice

Rebecca H Gellman1, Matthew R Olm1, Nicolas Terrapon2

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Cell Reports
|March 21, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Industrialization reshaped the gut microbiome, favoring Bacteroides over Prevotella. Our study shows Prevotella requires plant carbohydrates (MACs) for survival, explaining its decline in modern diets.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Human evolution
  • Nutritional science

Background:

  • Industrialized diets alter gut microbiota composition, decreasing Prevotella relative to Bacteroides.
  • Hadza hunter-gatherers exhibit high Prevotella prevalence, offering insight into pre-industrial gut ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the dietary requirements of Prevotella and Bacteroides strains from Hadza hunter-gatherers.
  • To understand the mechanisms driving Prevotella's reduced prevalence in industrialized populations.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of Prevotella and Bacteroides strains from Hadza individuals.
  • In vivo and in vitro analyses of carbohydrate metabolism and colonization.
  • Comparative analysis of gene content and expression related to carbohydrate degradation.

Main Results:

  • Prevotella copri requires plant-derived microbiota-accessible carbohydrates (MACs) for in vivo persistence, unlike Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.
  • Hadza Prevotella strains specialize in plant carbohydrate degradation, while Hadza Bacteroides utilize both plant and host-derived carbohydrates.
  • A diet lacking MACs eliminated P. copri colonization in competition with B. thetaiotaomicron.

Conclusions:

  • Prevotella's dependence on plant-derived MACs and Bacteroides' adaptability to host carbohydrates explain Prevotella's decline in industrialized societies.
  • Dietary shifts significantly impact gut microbial composition and function.

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