FIG 7.

Highlights of this study. (A) Infants fed by mothers with higher-core-fucosylated milk N-glycans (affected by Fut8 gene status) harbored more abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp. and reduced abundance of Clostridiales and Pseudomonas spp. during lactation. (B) The neonates fed by Fut8^+/− mice were characterized by reduced abundance of Lactobacillus, Bacteriodes, and Bifidobacterium spp. and increased abundance of members of the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group and Akkermansia spp. in their gut; these neonates also exhibited a lower proportion of active B cells in spleen. (C) Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains can utilize chemically synthesized core-fucosylated oligosaccharides. Genes encoding Endo and α1,6-fucosidase in the genome of these bacteria are key genetic factors for the use of core fucose, and the resulting metabolites, 1,2-propanediol and lactate, promoted the activation of B cells via the BCR-mediated signaling pathway.