Genome-scale analyses of health-promoting bacteria: probiogenomics

The human gut microbiota contain health-promoting indigenous species (probiotic bacteria) that are commonly consumed as live dietary supplements. The genomics of probiotic bacteria — or probiogenomics — could shed light on how beneficial gut bacteria adapt to the gut environment and promote better gut health. The human body is colonized by an enormous population of bacteria (microbiota) that provides the host with coding capacity and metabolic activities. Among the human gut microbiota are health-promoting indigenous species (probiotic bacteria) that are commonly consumed as live dietary supplements. Recent genomics-based studies (probiogenomics) are starting to provide insights into how probiotic bacteria sense and adapt to the gastrointestinal tract environment. In this Review, we discuss the application of probiogenomics in the elucidation of the molecular basis of probiosis using the well-recognized model probiotic bacteria genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus as examples.