3A). The relative intensities of lactate and acetate in the JBOVS diet intake were significantly higher compared with those in the control diet intake (Fig. 3B). Therefore, intake of the JBOVS was likely to be accompanied by increases in the production levels of lactate and acetate in the mouse intestines. In addition, to investigate the effects of JBOVS on the intestinal microbiota in mice, the microbial community profiles in the fecal samples were analysed by DGGE fingerprinting. Nine predominant bands were observed. To obtain more definitive information regarding the taxonomy of these major bands, a phylogenetic tree was constructed

based on the 16S rRNA gene PR171 fragments derived from the DGGE gel bands (Fig. S4). DNA sequences from bands 1 to 7 were categorised in the phylum Firmicutes, and those from bands 8 to 9 were categorised in the phylum Bacteroidetes (Fig. S4). Plots of PCA scores for DGGE fingerprinting data demonstrated that the microbial community profiles clustered according to the differences between the control and JBOVS diet intake (Fig. 3C). Bacteria originating from bands 4, 5, and 8 were related to L. murinus and belonged to the Bacteroidetes sp. group which selleckchem contributed

to the separation in the JBOVS diet intake compared with control diet intake results ( Fig. 3D). These three bacteria were significantly increased in the animals fed the JBOVS diet intake compared with those fed the control diet ( Fig. 3D). This study focused on a rapid and simple method for screening candidate prebiotic foods and their components. The JBOVS was identified as one of the candidate prebiotic

foods. The JBOVS accumulated in the cavity of the leaf was primarily composed of Glutathione peroxidase sugar components, especially fructose-based carbohydrates. The fructose-based carbohydrates are well-known to influence the intestinal microbiota, and the basis of Bacteroides spp. proliferation in response to fructose-based carbohydrates is known ( Sonnenburg et al., 2010). In addition, the fructose-based carbohydrates derived from plants such as Chinese yam and Chinese bitter melon as well as JBOVS have attracted attention as prebiotic foods, and were reported to promote the growth of helpful intestinal microbiota such as Bacteroides spp. who are capable of utilizing nearly all of the major plant and host glycans ( Hvistendahl, 2012 and Martens et al., 2011). The fructose-based carbohydrates activate certain bifidobacterial strains encoded by the genes of the ATP-binding-cassette-type carbohydrate transporter, promote acetate production in the intestines, and enhance the barrier function of the intestines and host immune systems ( Fukuda et al., 2011). This promotion of acetate production is consistent with our results from in vivo experiments.