Evaluating the effect of candidate prebiotics in the human gut microbiota by activity-based cell sorting and targeted isolation

Prebiotics are dietary supplements claimed to selectively promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. However, the specific bacteria that utilize these prebiotics remain largely unknown. This study aimed to identify the metabolically active gut bacteria that utilize lactulose using advanced techniques like single-cell stable isotope probing and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. By understanding the selectivity of prebiotics, we can develop more targeted dietary interventions to improve gut health. Sequencing was performed at the Joint Microbiome Facility of the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna under the project ID JMF-2212-19