Introduction to the Thematic Minireview Series: Host-microbiome metabolic interplay.

Long before the recent thrust of scientific research on the microbiome, the importance of its interface with the host was being acknowledged by practices such as probiotic supplementation, e.g. after a course of antibiotics, which has the unwanted side effect of depleting commensal bacteria. The shared metabolite capital between the host and the microbiome is extensive and tightly controlled. However, despite the influence of microbe-derived metabolites on many aspects of host physiology, behavior, and pathology, our understanding of this metabolic interface is still in its infancy and its therapeutic targeting is largely untapped. In this Thematic Minireview Series, JBC presents six exciting articles discussing a range of approaches for identifying microbial natural products, and elucidating their biosynthetic pathways and their physiological effects, which could potentially be leveraged for developing new therapeutics.