Butyricimonas

Butyricimonas is a genus of Gram-negative, anaerobic bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. Like Butyricicoccus, this genus is notable for its capacity to produce butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid essential for maintaining gut health.¹Sakamoto M, Tanaka Y, Benno Y, Ohkuma M. Butyricimonas faecihominis sp. nov. and Butyricimonas paravirosa sp. nov., isolated from human faeces, and emended description of the genus Butyricimonas. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2014 Sep;64(Pt 9):2992-2997. doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.065318-0.

Roles of Butyricimonas species in human health

1. Butyrate production: One of the most critical roles of Butyricimonas is the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid with a protective function against a range of diseases.²Hodgkinson K, El Abbar F, Dobranowski P, Manoogian J, Butcher J, Figeys D, Mack D, Stintzi A. Butyrate’s role in human health and the current progress towards its clinical application to treat gastrointestinal disease. Clin Nutr. 2023 Feb;42(2):61-75. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.10.024.³Cheng X, Zhou T, He Y, Xie Y, Xu Y, Huang W. The role and mechanism of butyrate in the prevention and treatment of diabetic kidney disease. Front Microbiol. 2022 Aug 9;13:961536. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.961536.⁴Bourassa MW, Alim I, Bultman SJ, Ratan RR. Butyrate, neuroepigenetics and the gut microbiome: Can a high fiber diet improve brain health? Neurosci Lett. 2016 Jun 20;625:56-63. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.02.009.⁵Siddiqui MT, Cresci GAM. The Immunomodulatory Functions of Butyrate. J Inflamm Res. 2021 Nov 18;14:6025-6041. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S300989. People living with certain conditions, e.g. Parkinson’s⁶Nuzum ND, Szymlek-Gay EA, Loke S, Dawson SL, Teo WP, Hendy AM, Loughman A, Macpherson H. Differences in the gut microbiome across typical ageing and in Parkinson’s disease. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Sep 1;235:109566. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109566. The abundance of some species of Butyricimonas has been associated with certain health conditions. However, it is widely accepted that Butyricimonas as a genus is a notable butyrate producer.
2. Anti-inflammatory properties: The butyrate produced by Butyricimonas can have anti-inflammatory effects, contributing to the balance of the gut microbial ecosystem and protecting from tissue damage in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)⁷Hirano A, Umeno J, Okamoto Y, Shibata H, Ogura Y, Moriyama T, Torisu T, Fujioka S, Fuyuno Y, Kawarabayasi Y, Matsumoto T, Kitazono T, Esaki M. Comparison of the microbial community structure between inflamed and non-inflamed sites in patients with ulcerative colitis. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Feb 20. doi: 10.1111/jgh.14129. Additionally, protective associations have been found between Butyricimonas and cognitive impairment.⁸Liang X, Fu Y, Cao WT, Wang Z, Zhang K, Jiang Z, Jia X, Liu CY, Lin HR, Zhong H, Miao Z, Gou W, Shuai M, Huang Y, Chen S, Zhang B, Chen YM, Zheng JS. Gut microbiome, cognitive function and brain structure: a multi-omics integration analysis. Transl Neurodegener. 2022 Nov 14;11(1):49. doi: 10.1186/s40035-022-00323-z.
3. Metabolic support: Although this is an emerging area still under active research, some pre-clinical evidence suggests that butyrate produced by Butyricimonas species may play a role in regulating metabolic parameters such as body weight, serum glucose level, insulin resistance, and liver steatosis ⁹Lee H, An J, Kim J, Choi D, Song Y, Lee CK, Kong H, Kim SB, Kim K. A Novel Bacterium, Butyricimonas virosa, Preventing HFD-Induced Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders in Mice via GLP-1 Receptor. Front Microbiol. 2022 May 17;13:858192. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.858192.¹⁰Steppe M, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Vercauteren G, Boyen F, Eeckhaut V, Deforce D, Haesebrouck F, Ducatelle R, Van Immerseel F. Safety assessment of the butyrate-producing Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum strain 25-3(T), a potential probiotic for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, based on oral toxicity tests and whole genome sequencing. Food Chem Toxicol. 2014 Oct;72:129-37. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2014.06.024.

Best sources of Butyricimonas

Butyricimonas species naturally inhabit the human gut and can be promoted by a fibre-rich diet. No food sources of Butyricicoccus are available at present. Specialised Butyricicoccus probiotic supplements based on Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum are currently being investigated.¹¹Boesmans L, Valles-Colomer M, Wang J, Eeckhaut V, Falony G, Ducatelle R, Van Immerseel F, Raes J, Verbeke K. Butyrate Producers as Potential Next-Generation Probiotics: Safety Assessment of the Administration of Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum to Healthy Volunteers. mSystems. 2018 Nov 6;3(6):e00094-18. doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00094-18.¹²Eeckhaut V, Ducatelle R, Sas B, Vermeire S, Van Immerseel F. Progress towards butyrate-producing pharmabiotics: Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum capsule and efficacy in TNBS models in comparison with therapeutics. Gut. 2014 Feb;63(2):367. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-305293.¹³Wang YC, Ku WC, Liu CY, Cheng YC, Chien CC, Chang KW, Huang CJ. Supplementation of Probiotic Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum Mediates Anticancer Effect on Bladder Urothelial Cells by Regulating Butyrate-Responsive Molecular Signatures. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Dec 4;11(12):2270. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11122270.

What foods can Butyricimonas feed on?

Butyricimonas species appear to thrive on a fibre-rich, polyphenol-rich diet.¹⁴Nie Q, Sun Y, Li M, Zuo S, Chen C, Lin Q, Nie S. Targeted modification of gut microbiota and related metabolites via dietary fiber. Carbohydr Polym. 2023 Sep 15;316:120986. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.120986.¹⁵Pérez-Burillo S, Hinojosa-Nogueira D, Pastoriza S, Rufián-Henares JA. Plant extracts as natural modulators of gut microbiota community structure and functionality. Heliyon. 2020 Nov 14;6(11):e05474. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05474.

Where to find Butyricimonas in the Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test

You will find your Butyricimonas score in the “Butyrate” section of the “Postbiotics” report in your Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Test results.

Synonyms: Butyricimonas species don’t have any well-recognised synonyms, but they are often categorised with other butyrate-producing bacteria when discussed in the context of gut health.

Important disclaimer

The Chuckling Goat Gut Microbiome Handbook is an educational resource built to translate complex science into plain English. The information provided on this page is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your GP or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Always check with your GP for interactions.

References

• 1
  Sakamoto M, Tanaka Y, Benno Y, Ohkuma M. Butyricimonas faecihominis sp. nov. and Butyricimonas paravirosa sp. nov., isolated from human faeces, and emended description of the genus Butyricimonas. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2014 Sep;64(Pt 9):2992-2997. doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.065318-0.
• 2
  Hodgkinson K, El Abbar F, Dobranowski P, Manoogian J, Butcher J, Figeys D, Mack D, Stintzi A. Butyrate’s role in human health and the current progress towards its clinical application to treat gastrointestinal disease. Clin Nutr. 2023 Feb;42(2):61-75. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.10.024.
• 3
  Cheng X, Zhou T, He Y, Xie Y, Xu Y, Huang W. The role and mechanism of butyrate in the prevention and treatment of diabetic kidney disease. Front Microbiol. 2022 Aug 9;13:961536. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.961536.
• 4
  Bourassa MW, Alim I, Bultman SJ, Ratan RR. Butyrate, neuroepigenetics and the gut microbiome: Can a high fiber diet improve brain health? Neurosci Lett. 2016 Jun 20;625:56-63. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.02.009.
• 5
  Siddiqui MT, Cresci GAM. The Immunomodulatory Functions of Butyrate. J Inflamm Res. 2021 Nov 18;14:6025-6041. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S300989.
• 6
  Nuzum ND, Szymlek-Gay EA, Loke S, Dawson SL, Teo WP, Hendy AM, Loughman A, Macpherson H. Differences in the gut microbiome across typical ageing and in Parkinson’s disease. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Sep 1;235:109566. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109566.
• 7
  Hirano A, Umeno J, Okamoto Y, Shibata H, Ogura Y, Moriyama T, Torisu T, Fujioka S, Fuyuno Y, Kawarabayasi Y, Matsumoto T, Kitazono T, Esaki M. Comparison of the microbial community structure between inflamed and non-inflamed sites in patients with ulcerative colitis. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018 Feb 20. doi: 10.1111/jgh.14129.
• 8
  Liang X, Fu Y, Cao WT, Wang Z, Zhang K, Jiang Z, Jia X, Liu CY, Lin HR, Zhong H, Miao Z, Gou W, Shuai M, Huang Y, Chen S, Zhang B, Chen YM, Zheng JS. Gut microbiome, cognitive function and brain structure: a multi-omics integration analysis. Transl Neurodegener. 2022 Nov 14;11(1):49. doi: 10.1186/s40035-022-00323-z.
• 9
  Lee H, An J, Kim J, Choi D, Song Y, Lee CK, Kong H, Kim SB, Kim K. A Novel Bacterium, Butyricimonas virosa, Preventing HFD-Induced Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders in Mice via GLP-1 Receptor. Front Microbiol. 2022 May 17;13:858192. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.858192.
• 10
  Steppe M, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Vercauteren G, Boyen F, Eeckhaut V, Deforce D, Haesebrouck F, Ducatelle R, Van Immerseel F. Safety assessment of the butyrate-producing Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum strain 25-3(T), a potential probiotic for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, based on oral toxicity tests and whole genome sequencing. Food Chem Toxicol. 2014 Oct;72:129-37. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2014.06.024.
• 11
  Boesmans L, Valles-Colomer M, Wang J, Eeckhaut V, Falony G, Ducatelle R, Van Immerseel F, Raes J, Verbeke K. Butyrate Producers as Potential Next-Generation Probiotics: Safety Assessment of the Administration of Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum to Healthy Volunteers. mSystems. 2018 Nov 6;3(6):e00094-18. doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00094-18.
• 12
  Eeckhaut V, Ducatelle R, Sas B, Vermeire S, Van Immerseel F. Progress towards butyrate-producing pharmabiotics: Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum capsule and efficacy in TNBS models in comparison with therapeutics. Gut. 2014 Feb;63(2):367. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2013-305293.
• 13
  Wang YC, Ku WC, Liu CY, Cheng YC, Chien CC, Chang KW, Huang CJ. Supplementation of Probiotic Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum Mediates Anticancer Effect on Bladder Urothelial Cells by Regulating Butyrate-Responsive Molecular Signatures. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Dec 4;11(12):2270. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11122270.
• 14
  Nie Q, Sun Y, Li M, Zuo S, Chen C, Lin Q, Nie S. Targeted modification of gut microbiota and related metabolites via dietary fiber. Carbohydr Polym. 2023 Sep 15;316:120986. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.120986.
• 15
  Pérez-Burillo S, Hinojosa-Nogueira D, Pastoriza S, Rufián-Henares JA. Plant extracts as natural modulators of gut microbiota community structure and functionality. Heliyon. 2020 Nov 14;6(11):e05474. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05474.

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