Gut Microbiota Alterations in Response to Protein Restriction and Fiber Supplementation

Host adaptation to protein restriction involves the activation of the endocrine molecule FGF21 and in parallel, dietary amino acid deprivation induces compositional changes to the gut microbiome. We demonstrate that fiber supplementation on the background of a low-protein diet further alters the gut microbiome and consequentially influences the FGF21 pathway. Furthermore, we discovered that the FGF21 response was lost when the gut microbiome is not intact. In summary, our data suggests that adaptation to protein restriction via the FGF21 pathway is influenced by both compositional and metabolic changes in the gut microbiome.