Thesis ; Online: Mucin and human milk oligosaccharides utilization
a strategy of Akkermansia muciniphila to ensure survival in the human gut
2021
Abstract: The research in this thesis aims to understand the mechanism used by Akkermansia muciniphila to survive and thrive in the complex and competitive ecosystems of the human gut. We evaluated the ability of A. muciniphila to utilize and degrade HMOs and ... ...
Abstract | The research in this thesis aims to understand the mechanism used by Akkermansia muciniphila to survive and thrive in the complex and competitive ecosystems of the human gut. We evaluated the ability of A. muciniphila to utilize and degrade HMOs and mucin glycans as a carbohydrate specialist and the advantage of this phenotype in this highly competitive environment. As it has been demonstrated, A. muciniphila can have an important role in human (metabolic) health and it is essential to understand the functions and resilience of A. muciniphila in such communities. This can further expand our knowledge on the benefits that A. muciniphila can bring for human health, but potentially also help to design (nutritional) therapies to support A. muciniphila’s activity in the gut to even further support human health.In Chapter 1, a brief overview of the human intestinal microbiota is provided, focusing on the host-derived glycans that affect the physiology and composition of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, A. muciniphila, a resident of the mucosal layer in the gut, is introduced. The capacity of A. muciniphila to use glycoside hydrolases (GHs) to degrade glycosidic linkages found in mucin and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) constituted the motivation for the research described in this thesis.Chapter 2 provides an overview on the presence and functionality of A. muciniphila in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Akkermansia muciniphila has been found in human milk, the oral cavity, the pancreas, the biliary system, the small intestine, and the appendix. Hypothetical functions of A. muciniphila in these different niches are proposed, highlighting also that further research is needed to fully understand the versatile roles that A. muciniphila may have in the digestive tract.In Chapter 3 we hypothesized that the presence of A. muciniphila in infant’s intestine is the result of its ability to use its glycan degrading enzymes to break down HMOs. After growth of A. muciniphila in human milk, we identified HMOs ... |
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Keywords | Life Science |
Subject code | 570 |
Language | English |
Publisher | Wageningen University |
Publishing country | nl |
Document type | Thesis ; Online |
Database | BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection) |
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