Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. prausnitzii)

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a Gram-positive, strictly anaerobic commensal bacterium and a keystone species of the human gut microbiome, typically accounting for 5-10% of the total fecal microbiota in healthy individuals. It is primarily recognized for its role as a major producer of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that serves as the essential energy source for colonocytes and is critical for maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier. Beyond its metabolic contributions, F. prausnitzii exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects by secreting the Microbial Anti-inflammatory Molecule (MAM) protein, which inhibits the NF-kappaB signaling pathway and induces the production of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Clinically, a significant reduction in the abundance of this bacterium is a consistent hallmark of dysbiosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly Crohn's disease, as well as metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes and obesity. Therapeutic strategies targeting F. prausnitzii focus on its restoration through live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), such as the investigational strain EXL01, or through the administration of prebiotics like inulin and metformin to stimulate its endogenous growth.

Other names

Fusobacterium prausnitziiBacteroides prausnitziiClostridium cluster IVBacillus mucosus anaerobius

Restoration of gut homeostasis through the production of butyrate which inhibits histone deacetylases (HDACs) and the secretion of anti-inflammatory peptides that suppress pro-inflammatory cytokine production.