Effect of Diet on Gut Microbiota and Host Metabolism

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome, also known as a microbial organ that is molded and organized according to the genotype of the host, responds to lifestyle, dietary elements, and environmental exposure factors. The microbiome is the genetic material of these microorganisms, while the gut microbiota is the community of microorganisms that inhabit the gut environment. It is believed that this microbiota interacts in several ways with the host, since it is the most varied and abundant microbial community. The human microbiota comprises one trillion (10¹⁴) microbial cells. Mutual interactions between the host and the gut microbiota are required for the maintenance of host health. It is important to understand the coordinated interactions between microbial symbionts of host metabolism and physiology that have direct effects on the gut immune system. The symbiotic interaction between gut microbiota and the host is mutually advantageous as microbes help in fat storage control and give nutrients to the host by digesting host food components that may be utilized as an energy source. Intestinal epithelial cells and many mucosal barriers, like the mucus layer that carries antimicrobial compounds, protect epithelial cells from things like gut microbes and the immune system of the host. The host utilizes a range of mechanisms to maintain intestinal homeostasis and prevent aberrant immune responses to the microbiota.

Dietary fiber-rich meals include complex phytochemicals that may be converted by gut microbes into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, butyrate, and propionate. The intestinal microbiota does not reside inertly in the gut; it provides essential benefits to the host by converting dietary fibers into SCFAs that the host may use as an energy source, generating vitamin B and vitamin K, and metabolizing bile acids. Through the synthesis of various metabolites, including SCFAs and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the gut microbiota controls host immunity, either directly or indirectly. This Special Issue aims to present the most recent findings in this field, and will cover all topics pertaining to the current information on the effects of microbiota-derived functional factors such as diet, microbial products, and metabolites on the regulation of intestinal epithelial cell homeostasis. In addition to focusing on the health-promoting effect of the mutualistic interaction between the gut microbiota and the host's health, this Special Issue will also cover the latest research on microbiota-targeting therapies and other advanced related topics.

Dr. Syed Azmal Ali
Guest Editor

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