The way of fiber digestion by humans

An international group of researchers, including scientists from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, situated in Sweden discovered how a group of bacteria is digested by a major type of dietary fibre. The results of this investigation are published in Nature. It focuses on Bacteroidetes (a specific group of gut bacteria) break down complex carbohydrates. The study was begun by Harry Brumer, in collaboration with his team of researchers at the Division of Glycoscience in the KTH School of Biotechnology. Brumer continued the investigation at University of British Columbia, in collaboration with research partners from the University of Michigan and the University of York. “This newly discovered sequence of genes enables Bacteroides ovatus to chop up xyloglucan, a major type of dietary fibre found in many vegetables – from lettuce leaves to tomato fruits. In fact, this system is so important, it is found in at least 92 percent of humans surveyed worldwide so far”, said Brumer.