Metabolic diversity in commensal protists regulates intestinal immunity and trans-kingdom competition. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38096822/)
These scientists wanted to learn more about tiny organisms called protists that live in our guts. They discovered that there are many different kinds of protists in the guts of people who live in places without a lot of technology. They also found that these protists can affect our intestines in different ways.
To study this, the scientists looked at the genes and chemicals produced by protists called Tritrichomonas in mice. They found that different species of Tritrichomonas produce different chemicals called metabolites. One of these metabolites, called succinate, causes the immune system in the small intestine to react differently depending on which Tritrichomonas species is present.
The scientists also found that the different Tritrichomonas species have different preferences for the food they eat. Some like to eat certain kinds of carbohydrates found in our food, while others prefer to eat a substance called mucus that lines our intestines. This means that the different Tritrichomonas species compete with certain bacteria in our guts for food.
The competition between the Tritrichomonas species and bacteria can affect our intestinal health and our immune system. The scientists showed this by changing the diet of the mice and growing the Tritrichomonas in a lab. They found that depending on what the mice ate, different Tritrichomonas species would win the competition and affect the immune response in the gut.
Overall, this study shows that there are many different kinds of protists in our guts that can affect our health. By understanding how these protists interact with our diet and bacteria, scientists can find ways to improve our gut health.
Gerrick ER., Zlitni S., West PT., Carter MM., Mechler CM., Olm MR., Caffrey EB., Li JA., Higginbottom SK., Severyn CJ., Kracke F., Spormann AM., Sonnenburg JL., Bhatt AS., Howitt MR. Metabolic diversity in commensal protists regulates intestinal immunity and trans-kingdom competition. Cell. 2024 Jan 4;187(1):62-78.e20. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.018. Epub 2023 Dec 13.