HUMAN MICROBIOTA. Small molecules from the human microbiota.

Publication Year
2015

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

Developments in the use of genomics to guide natural product discovery and a recent emphasis on understanding the molecular mechanisms of microbiota-host interactions have converged on the discovery of small molecules from the human microbiome. Here, we review what is known about small molecules produced by the human microbiota. Numerous molecules representing each of the major metabolite classes have been found that have a variety of biological activities, including immune modulation and antibiosis. We discuss technologies that will affect how microbiota-derived molecules are discovered in the future and consider the challenges inherent in finding specific molecules that are critical for driving microbe-host and microbe-microbe interactions and understanding their biological relevance.

Journal
Science
Volume
349
Issue
6246
Pages
1254766
Date Published
2015 Jul 24
ISSN Number
1095-9203
Alternate Journal
Science
PMCID
PMC4641445
PMID
26206939