Oscillospiraceae, also commonly called Ruminococcaceae, is a family of bacteria in the class Clostridia. All Oscillospiraceae are obligate anaerobes. However, members of the family have diverse shapes, with some rod-shaped and others cocci.[7]
Within the family, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is notable as an abundant commensal bacteria of the human gut microbiota. In addition, several members of Ruminococcus are found in the human gut.[8] The Oscillospira genus and its impact on human health has led to numerous theories on its development and its involvement in human health.
Current knowledge
The first species of the Oscillospira genus, a bacterium named O. guillermondii, was found in 1913 in the cecal contents of a guinea pig by Chatton and Pérard and is the only formally described species in the genus.[9] Knowledge of Oscillospira and their physiology and ecological interactions are still minimal having limited success in cultivation. The necessary components for Oscillospira to grow are still undetermined or otherwise unknown.[10] A characteristic of this bacterium is the ability to form spores and take on different physical shapes like rods and cocci. The Oscillospira species are assumed to be slower growers as they are more abundantly found in harder or firmer stools, an indicator of spending more time in the colon before being passed, commonly known as constipation. This theory is further supported by their ties to gallstone disease where constipation is a risk factor.[9]
Impact on gut health
Members of this family are observed to be abundantly found in faecal microbiota. Oscillospira in particular has been found to have possible ties to leanness through its 16s rRNA gene in recent gut microbiota studies and has established a connection with a lack of abundance of these bacteria in people impacted with steatohepatitis, a liver disease, and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Chron's and Ulcerative colitis.[9]In addition, Oscillospira have been shown to ferment complex plant carbohydrates and is being looked at to play a potential role in probiotic production.[9]Oscillospira has also been found in animals such as cattle and sheep and similarly to humans, the abundance and form of Oscillospira is largely dependent on diet. Greater abundance was found to be with primarily fresh forage food in these animals.[10]
