Untangling the Genetic Basis of Fibrolytic Specialization by Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in Diverse Gut Communities

Amy Biddle, Lucy Stewart, Jeffrey Blanchard, Susan Leschine
2013 Diversity  
The Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae are two of the most abundant families from the order Clostridiales found in the mammalian gut environment, and have been associated with the maintenance of gut health. While they are both diverse groups, they share a common role as active plant degraders. By comparing the genomes of the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae with the Clostridiaceae, a more commonly free-living group, we identify key carbohydrate-active enzymes, sugar transport mechanisms,
more » ... metabolic pathways that distinguish these two commensal groups as specialists for the degradation of complex plant material.
doi:10.3390/d5030627 fatcat:7vcvzcq5jbgyfgjivx7hbz3tre