Bacteroides uniformis
| Bacteroides uniformis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Pseudomonadati |
| Phylum: | Bacteroidota |
| Class: | Bacteroidia |
| Order: | Bacteroidales |
| Family: | Bacteroidaceae |
| Genus: | Bacteroides |
| Species: | B. uniformis |
| Binomial name | |
| Bacteroides uniformis Eggerth & Gagnon, 1933[1] | |
Bacteroides uniformis is a Gram-negative, obligate anaerobic bacterium commonly isolated from human feces. Species of the genus Bacteroides contribute to gut stability by breaking down complex polysaccharides into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are essential for gut health, immune modulation, and energy metabolism.[2][3]
Structure
Bacteroides uniformis is rod-shaped and possesses an outer membrane that contains lipopolysaccharides. Unlike many other Gram-negative bacteria, the LPS of B. uniformis has relatively low endotoxic potential, contributing to reduced inflammatory responses. Its genome includes numerous carbohydrate-active enzymes that enable it to degrade polysaccharides, host-derived glycans, and mucins. This metabolic versatility allows B. uniformis to efficiently access nutrients in the gut environment.[4]
Functions
Studies involving oral administration of B. uniformis to mice fed a high-fat diet have shown an 18% reduction in serum cholesterol levels and decreased cholesterol accumulation in the liver. However, other species in the genus, such as B. fragilis, have been implicated in abscess formation in mice, indicating that not all members of this genus are entirely safe for therapeutic use.[5]
B. uniformis has also been observed to reduce allergen uptake and restore fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels when colonizing the gut. Additionally, it has a positive association with insoluble dietary fiber. In experimental mouse models, colonization with B. uniformis helped reduce weight gain and mitigated pathology associated with metabolic disease.[5]
The probiotic properties of B. uniformis to help treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and colitis was investigated in a 2025 study using mice [6]. This study found that B. uniformis could alleviate colitis progression and was involved in bile acid metabolism, which in turn may help to limit intestinal immune response for intestinal barrier dysfunction health conditions such as IBS [6].
B. uniformis has been shown to increase the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus vaginallis in mice [6].
References
- ↑ "Bacteroides uniformis Eggerth & Gagnon, 1933". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ↑ "Bacteroides uniformis". Rupa Health. Archived from the original on 2026-07-01. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
- ↑ Podstawka, Adam. "Bacteroides uniformis | Type strain | CCUG 4942, JCM 5828, CIP 103695, KCTC 5204, DSM 6597, ATCC 8492, VPI 0061, CGMCC 1.5133, NCTC 13054 | BacDiveID:1604". bacdive.dsmz.de. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ↑ "Bacteroides uniformis and Its Impact on Gut Communities". Biology Insights. April 29, 2025.
- 1 2 Shaffer, Michael; Armstrong, Abigail J.S.; Phelan, Vanessa V.; Reisdorph, Nichole; Lozupone, Catherine A. (November 2017). "Microbiome and metabolome data integration provides insight into health and disease". Translational Research. 189: 51–64. doi:10.1016/j.trsl.2017.07.001. PMC 5659916. PMID 28764956.
- 1 2 3 Yan, YiTing; Lei, Yu; Qu, Ying; Fan, Zhen; Zhang, Ting; Xu, Yangbin; Du, Qian; Brugger, Daniel; Chen, Yulin; Zhang, Ke; Zhang, Enping (2023-08-14). "Bacteroides uniformis-induced perturbations in colonic microbiota and bile acid levels inhibit TH17 differentiation and ameliorate colitis developments". npj Biofilms and Microbiomes. 9 (1): 56. doi:10.1038/s41522-023-00420-5. ISSN 2055-5008. PMC 10425470. PMID 37580334.