Determinants of raffinose family oligosaccharide use in <i>Bacteroides</i> species

The gut microbiome is important in health and disease. The diverse and densely populated environment of the gut makes competition for resources fierce. Hence, it is important to study the strategies employed by microbes for resource usage. Raffinose family oligosaccharides are abundant in plants and are a major source of nutrition for the microbiota in the colon since they remain undigested by the host. Here, we study how the model commensal organism, <i>Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron</i> utilizes raffinose family oligosaccharides. This work highlights how an important member of the microbiota uses an abundant dietary resource.