Orchestrating life’s first community: molecular assembly by human milk oligosaccharides
Abstrak
The infant gut microbiota, orchestrated by human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), forms a critical foundation for lifelong health. Despite their recognized importance, the molecular strategies through which HMOs govern microbial competition and niche establishment remain poorly understood. Moving beyond ecological observations, this review synthesizes current mechanistic evidence on the molecular machinery of HMO metabolism in microbial assembly. We explore the specialized enzymes that confer competitive advantages and the metabolic networks fueled by HMO breakdown. Furthermore, we distinguish substrate-driven effects from the hypothesized signaling roles of intact HMOs in modulating host-microbe interactions, indicating where the evidence is associative versus causal. By integrating these pathways, we provide a blueprint for leveraging HMO biology to develop targeted nutritional interventions for preventing early-life disorders.
Topik & Kata Kunci
Penulis (6)
Ye Zhou
Bo Yang
Jianxin Zhao
Paul Ross
Catherine Stanton
Wei Chen
Akses Cepat
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Cek di sumber asli →- Tahun Terbit
- 2026
- Sumber Database
- DOAJ
- DOI
- 10.1080/19490976.2026.2632973
- Akses
- Open Access ✓