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Prevotella diversity, niches and interactions with the human host

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 19, pages 585–599 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

The genus Prevotella includes more than 50 characterized species that occur in varied natural habitats, although most Prevotella spp. are associated with humans. In the human microbiome, Prevotella spp. are highly abundant in various body sites, where they are key players in the balance between health and disease. Host factors related to diet, lifestyle and geography are fundamental in affecting the diversity and prevalence of Prevotella species and strains in the human microbiome. These factors, along with the ecological relationship of Prevotella with other members of the microbiome, likely determine the extent of the contribution of Prevotella to human metabolism and health. Here we review the diversity, prevalence and potential connection of Prevotella spp. in the human host, highlighting how genomic methods and analysis have improved and should further help in framing their ecological role. We also provide suggestions for future research to improve understanding of the possible functions of Prevotella spp. and the effects of the Western lifestyle and diet on the host–Prevotella symbiotic relationship in the context of maintaining human health.

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Fig. 1: Genomic overview of the genus Prevotella.
Fig. 2: Distribution and stratification of Prevotella spp. across human populations and body sites.
Fig. 3: Current diversity of Prevotella spp. in the human microbiome.
Fig. 4: Evidence for a role of Prevotella spp. in human infections and autoimmunity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank F. Cumbo, A. Blanco-Miguez, P. Manghi and F. Asnicar for support in retrieving and organizing the metagenome-assembled genomes. The work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC-STG project MetaPG), MIUR ‘Futuro in Ricerca’ (grant no. RBFR13EWWI_001), the National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health (1U01CA230551), the Premio Internazionale Lombardia e Ricerca 2019 and the European Union Horizon 2020 project ONCOBIOME-825410 to N.S, by the MASTER-818368 project to D.E. and N.S., and by the JPI HDHL-INTIMIC - Knowledge Platform of Food, Diet, Intestinal Microbiomics and Human Health (ID 790) and PRIN2017 (20174FHBWR_005) granted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research to D.E.

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  1. These authors jointly supervised this work: Danilo Ercolini, Nicola Segata.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Adrian Tett

  2. Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy

    Edoardo Pasolli & Danilo Ercolini

  3. Task Force on Microbiome Studies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Edoardo Pasolli & Danilo Ercolini

  4. Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy

    Giulia Masetti & Nicola Segata

  5. European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy

    Nicola Segata

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Contributions

D.E. and N.S. conceived the article. All authors researched data for the article. N.S., D.E. and A.T. contributed substantially to discussion of the content. E.P. performed the analyses. N.S., D.E. and A.T. wrote the article. All authors reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Danilo Ercolini or Nicola Segata.

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Nature Reviews Microbiology thanks T. Strowig, H. Flint, G. Belibasakis, who co-reviewed with D. Manoil, and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Tett, A., Pasolli, E., Masetti, G. et al. Prevotella diversity, niches and interactions with the human host. Nat Rev Microbiol 19, 585–599 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00559-y

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