Bacteroides ovatus colonization influences the abundance of intestinal short chain fatty acids and neurotransmitters

Microbial colonization has been associated with the concentrations and turn-over of a wide range of host neurotransmitters and neuro-active compounds. Previous studies have identified that Bacteroides, a dominant member of the human gut microbiome, can influence distance organs; potentially through the production of neuro-active compounds. We evaluated the representative human gut commensal B. ovatus ATCC 8483 in germ-free adult mice to determine if B. ovatus-derived metabolites influenced intestinal neurotransmitter and SCFA concentrations in vivo and highlight novel connections between microbial colonization and intestinal neurotransmitter concentrations.