Potential contributions of keystone species to intestinal ecosystem in patients with Crohn's disease.

This article focuses on identifying keystone bacterial species in the gut microbiota of Crohn's disease (CD) patients and their potential roles in intestinal ecosystem functioning. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and metagenomic profiling of stool samples from CD patients at active and remission stages compared to healthy controls, the study found significant alterations in gut microbial diversity and composition in CD patients, with no major differences between disease stages. Key species such as Escherichia coli, Anaerostipes hadrus, and Eubacterium hallii were identified as keystone species influencing specialized metabolic pathways related to metabolites like succinate, formate, ammonia, L-glutamate, and L-serine. These metabolic shifts may impact intestinal homeostasis and contribute to CD pathogenesis, providing a theoretical basis for microbiota-targeted therapeutic strategies.