| Complex glycans synthesized in the laboratory can modify the abundance and functioning of human gut bacteria and may be useful for targeted bacterial manipulation, according to a study partly supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. The study, from Washington University in St. Louis, Ohio State University, and collaborating institutions, was published in a recent issue of Nature Chemical Biology. The gut microbiotaâthe vast, complex community of microorganisms in the intestinal tractâplays important roles in health and disease, but much remains to be learned about exactly how the community functions and how it might be optimized. One approach to enhancing its functioning involves the use of prebioticsâfood ingredients that affect the composition or activity of the gut microbiota in ways that are beneficial to health. This study investigated synthetic substances that are similar to certain natural food components to see whether they might have potentially beneficial effects on microorganisms in the digestive tract. | 