Personalized gut microbial community modeling by leveraging genome-scale metabolic models and metagenomics

The impact of the gut microbiome on human health is increasingly recognized as dysbiosis has been found to be associated with a spectrum of diseases. Here, we review the databases of genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs), which have paved the way for investigations into the metabolic capabilities of gut microbes and their interspecies dynamics. We further discuss the strategies for developing community-level GEMs, which are crucial for understanding the complex interactions within microbial communities and between the microbiome and its host. Such GEMs can guide the design of synthetic microbial communities for disease treatment. Finally, we explore advances in personalized gut microbiome modeling. These advancements broaden our mechanistic understanding and hold promise for applications in precision medicine and therapeutic interventions.