Loading…
Obligate anaerobes are microorganisms killed by normal atmospheric concentrations of oxygen (20.95% oxygen), because they lack the antioxidant enzymes or have them in low concentrations.
A healthy gut has mostly obligate anaerobic bacteria. They break down dietary carbohydrates. This creates beneficial fermentation products.
Most of the gut microbiota are obligate anaerobes
Obligate anaerobic bacteria accounted for more than 99% of the dominant microbiota in the intestine
The host has evolved strategies to help maintain a diverse intestinal microbial community dominated by obligate anaerobic bacteria that generate fermentation products from fiber; a strategy is also known as “microbiota-nourishing immunity”