Production of Butyrate, Caproate, and Caprylate through Microbial Chain Elongation by Human Gut Microbes

This project investigates the production of short- and medium-chain fatty acids, specifically butyrate (C4), caproate (C6), and caprylate (C8), through microbial chain elongation by human gut microbiota. Using both Illumina and PacBio 16S rRNA gene sequencing technologies, we profiled the microbial communities under various experimental conditions designed to stimulate chain elongation activity. Samples were collected from bioreactor experiments inoculated with human fecal consortia, with sequencing performed across multiple conditions and timepoints to capture dynamic microbial responses. The goal of this study is to identify and characterize key microbial taxa and pathways involved in chain elongation processes with potential applications in gut health and microbial therapeutics.