Journal
LIFE-BASEL
Volume 12, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/life12040476
Keywords
human microbiome; gut; non-photosynthetic cyanobacteria; Melainabacteria; human disease
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This article reviews the characteristics, phylogeny, distribution, and ecology of Melainabacteria and discusses their potential link to human health based on available human-microbiome studies.
Gut microorganisms are comprised of thousands of species and play an important role in the host's metabolism, overall health status, and risk of disease. Recently, the discovery of non-photosynthetic cyanobacteria (class Melainabacteria) in the human and animal gut triggered a broad interest in studying cyanobacteria's evolution, physiology, and ecological relevance of the Melainabacteria members. In the present paper, we review the general characteristics of Melainabacteria, their phylogeny, distribution, and ecology. The potential link between these microorganisms and human health is also discussed based on available human-microbiome studies. Their abundance tends to increase in patients with selected neurodegenerative, gastrointestinal, hepatic, metabolic, and respiratory diseases. However, the available evidence is correlative and requires further longitudinal studies. Although the research on Melainabacteria in the human gut is still in its infancy, elucidation of their role appears important in better understanding microbiome-human health interactions. Further studies aiming to identify particular gut cyanobacteria species, culture them in vitro, and characterize them on the molecular, biochemical, and physiological levels are encouraged.
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