Selective Manipulation of the Gut Microbiota Improves Immune Status in Vertebrates.

Abstract in brief

• The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the development, immunity, and nutrition of vertebrates, with strategies like probiotics and prebiotics being used to manipulate these microbial communities to improve host health.
• Probiotics involve introducing beneficial microorganisms, while prebiotics are nondigestible food components that promote the growth of specific gut bacteria; both methods can help enhance immune resistance, partly through the production of metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
• Although much is known about these interactions in higher vertebrates, research on their effects in fish is limited, but understanding these mechanisms could offer insights into mucosal immunity across different species.]