Bacteroides

Bacteroides is a genus of mostly anaerobic, Gram-negative bacteria common in the intestines of humans and other animals. Its members help break down complex carbohydrates and can cause infections when they enter normally sterile tissues.

Polysaccharide utilization locus: A cluster of bacterial genes that enables the uptake and breakdown of particular complex carbohydrates. Bacteroides use these gene clusters to access dietary and host-derived glycans in the gut.
Gut microbiota: The community of microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract. Bacteroides are prominent members of this community and contribute to its metabolic functions.
Prevotella: A genus of anaerobic bacteria found in humans and other animals, including in the oral cavity and gut. Prevotella and Bacteroides are distinct gut-associated genera often compared in microbiome studies.
Short-chain fatty acid: A fatty acid with fewer than six carbon atoms, often produced when gut microbes ferment carbohydrates. Fermentation by Bacteroides contributes to short-chain fatty acids that influence gut conditions.
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron: A human gut bacterium studied for its ability to use a wide range of complex carbohydrates. Its carbohydrate-processing systems exemplify the genus's metabolic versatility.
Bacteroides fragilis: A species of Bacteroides that commonly inhabits the colon but can cause opportunistic infections. It is a leading Bacteroides species in human infections outside the intestine.
Escherichia coli: A species of Gram-negative bacterium found in the intestines of humans and other animals. Unlike Bacteroides, E. coli is a facultative anaerobe that can grow with or without oxygen.
Colonization resistance: The ability of resident microorganisms to prevent invading microbes from establishing themselves. A stable Bacteroides-rich community can contribute to resistance against intestinal pathogens.
Glycan: A molecule made of sugar units, often attached to proteins or lipids. Gut Bacteroides obtain carbon and energy by degrading glycans from food and host mucus.
Anaerobic infection: An infection caused by microorganisms that grow without oxygen. Bacteroides can cause abscesses and other infections when displaced from the gut.

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