Despite a large amount of information regarding the composition of the human fecal microbiota, there is very limited information about the communities that inhabit the small intestine. Due to the difficulties in accessing the human small intestine to perform longitudinal studies, we sought to develop an in vitro model of the human small intestinal microbiota using a cultivar system to compare its steady state composition and metabolite production with an established fecal community.  The research carried out in both U Penn and our laboratory revealed the possibility to establish a stable small intestinal bacterial community in vitro using a cultivar that is similar to composition of an ileostomy inoculum, but maximally distinct from a fecal community established using the same culture conditions. The functionality of the small intestinal community demonstrates the predicted metabolic functionality in vivo, specifically regarding bile acid and SCFA production. The use of in vitro cultivar technologies may be helpful in creating models of the human small intestinal microbiota to examine the effect of diet and other perturbations on its composition and function.

Establishment of a stable human small intestinal and colonic microbiota in an <i>in vitro</i> cultivar: Form vs. function and response to oxygen

2019 Fall National Meeting

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Establishment of a stable human small intestinal and colonic microbiota in an in vitro cultivar: Form vs. function and response to oxygen