AUTHOR=Feng Min , Gao Baizhen , Garcia L. Rene , Sun Qing 

TITLE=Microbiota-derived metabolites in regulating the development and physiology of Caenorhabditis elegans

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1035582

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1035582

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Microbiota consist of microorganisms that provide essential health benefits and contribute to the animal’s physiological homeostasis. Microbiota-derived metabolites are crucial mediators in regulating host development, system homeostasis, and overall fitness. In this review, by focusing on the animal model <italic>Caenorhabditis elegans</italic>, we summarize key microbial metabolites and their molecular mechanisms that affect animal development. We also provide, from a bacterial perspective, an overview of host-microbiota interaction networks used for maintaining host physiological homeostasis. Moreover, we discuss applicable methodologies for profiling new bacterial metabolites that modulate host developmental signaling pathways. Microbiota-derived metabolites have the potential to be diagnostic biomarkers for diseases, as well as promising targets for engineering therapeutic interventions against animal developmental or health-related defects.</p>