Abstract 1746 Evolution of substrate specificity among short chain fatty acid (SCFA) kinases of the gut microbiome

Numerous studies reveal the importance of gut microbiome-derived short chain fatty acids (SCFA), such as acetate, propionate and butyrate, in signaling, metabolic, and health outcomes for animal hosts. Colonic microbiomes in Western human populations are generally dominated by species belonging to two bacterial phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, which engage in a complex metabolic network that adjusts SCFA levels within an individual. Bacteroidetes includes well-recognized commensal and mutualistic species that serve to break down complex polysaccharides in the gut and generate products such as carbohydrates, propionate, and acetate that can serve as nutrients for the host and other microbial community members.