Bile acids as modulators of gut microbiota composition and function

Changes in the composition of gut-associated microbial communities are associated with many human illnesses, but the factors driving dysbiosis remain incompletely understood. One factor governing the microbiota composition in the gut is bile. Bile acids shape the microbiota composition through their antimicrobial activity and by activating host signaling pathways that maintain gut homeostasis. Although bile acids are host-derived, their functions are integrally linked to bacterial metabolism, which shapes the composition of the intestinal bile acid pool. Conditions that change the size or composition of the bile acid pool can trigger alterations in the microbiota composition that exacerbate inflammation or…

• CA
  Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America

  Awards: AI096528, AI153069, 650976, AI044170, AI146432, AI112445, AI112949
• CA
  Crohn's and Colitis Foundation

  Award: 650976
• NI
  National Institutes of Health