Biological properties and symbiotic relationships of human bifidobacteria

Abstract

Bifidobacteria, despite more than a century of research history, attract the attention of researchers. Currently, more than 100 species of the Bifidobacterium genus, belonging to the Actinomycetota phylum, have been described. An analysis of the biological properties of bifidobacteria during the formation of symbiotic relationships with the human host revealed several functional clusters, among which one group of bifidobacteria is involved in the cytokine balance, the second recognizes microsymbionts, protecting the biotope from pathogens, and the third supports the barrier function of enterocytes and colonocytes. This ensures optimal functioning of the intestinal biotope. The proven properties of bifidobacteria expand the range of their clinical use as new biological products and functional foods for dysbiosis correction, considering the physiological "specialization" of various Bifidobacterium strains. Key words: Bifidobacterium, Actinomycetota phylum, intestinal microbiome, dysbiosis, probiotics, functional foods