Na-Ri Shin*, Tae Woong Whon*, and Jin-Woo Bae
Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea
Corresponding author: Bae, J.-W.
*These authors contributed equally to this work.
Summary
Recent advances in sequencing techniques, applied to the study of microbial communities, have provided compelling evidence that the mammalian intestinal tract harbors a complex microbial community whose composition is a critical determinant of host health in the context of metabolism and inflammation. Given that an imbalanced gut microbiota often arises from a sustained increase in abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria, the natural human gut flora normally contains only a minor proportion of this phylum. Here, we review studies that explored the association between an abnormal expansion of Proteobacteria and a compromised ability to maintain a balanced gut microbial community. We also propose that an increased prevalence of Proteobacteria is a potential diagnostic signature of dysbiosis and risk of disease.
Keywords: microbiota; Proteobacteria; dysbiosis