The Lachnospiraceae are a family of obligately anaerobic, variably spore-forming bacteria in the order Eubacteriales that ferment diverse plant polysaccharides to short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate) and alcohols (ethanol). These bacteria are among the most abundant taxa in the

rumen The rumen, also known as a paunch, is the largest stomach compartment in ruminants and the larger part of the reticulorumen, which is the first chamber in the alimentary canal of ruminant animals. The rumen's microbial favoring environment allow ...

and the human

gut microbiota Gut microbiota, gut microbiome, or gut flora, are the microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses that live in the digestive tracts of animals. The gastrointestinal metagenome is the aggregate of all the genomes of the gut m ...

. Members of this family may protect against

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...

in humans by producing

butyric acid Butyric acid (; from grc, βούτῡρον, meaning "butter"), also known under the systematic name butanoic acid, is a straight-chain alkyl carboxylic acid with the chemical formula CH3CH2CH2CO2H. It is an oily, colorless liquid with an unple ...

. Lachnospiraceae have been found to contribute to diabetes in genetically susceptible (ob/ob) germ-free mice.

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Further reading