Journal
BIOELECTRICITY
Volume 3, Issue 2, Pages 120-125Publisher
MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC
DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2021.0012
Keywords
gut-brain axis; microbial endocrinology; interkingdom signaling; GABA
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The gut microbiome influences human neurology and behavior, with GABA signaling being a crucial component of the gut-brain axis. Research has also found that GABA mediates interkingdom signaling, involving interactions across multiple biological kingdoms.
It is now established that the gut microbiome influences human neurology and behavior, and vice versa. Distinct mechanisms underlying this bidirectional communication pathway, termed the gut-brain axis, are becoming increasingly uncovered. This review summarizes recent interkingdom signaling research focused on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a human neurotransmitter and ubiquitous signaling molecule found in bacteria, fungi, plants, invertebrates, and mammals. We detail how GABAergic signaling has been shown to be a crucial component of the gut-brain axis. We further describe how GABA is also being found to mediate interkingdom signaling between algae and invertebrates, plants and invertebrates, and plants and bacteria. Based on these emerging results, we argue that obtaining a complete understanding of GABA-mediated communication in the gut-brain axis will involve deciphering the role of GABA signaling and metabolism within bacterial communities themselves.
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