Overview
Bifidobacteriales is an order of Gram-positive, strictly anaerobic bacteria within the phylum Actinobacteria. The order contains the family Bifidobacteriaceae, which includes the genus Bifidobacterium — among the most widely studied probiotic organisms and a hallmark of healthy infant and adult gut communities.
Members of this order are saccharolytic fermenters producing acetate and lactate via the "bifid shunt" pathway. They play protective roles through competitive exclusion of pathogens, immune modulation, and maintenance of gut barrier integrity.
Disease Associations
Bifidobacteriales depletion is observed in endometriosis mouse models, where gut microbiota alterations include loss of these protective commensals alongside enrichment of Proteobacteria (yuan 2018 endometriosis induces gut microbiota alterations mice). Mendelian randomization analyses of postpartum depression identify Bifidobacteriales-related blood metabolites as part of the causal pathway linking gut dysbiosis to mood disorders (gao 2024 gut microbiota blood metabolites ppd mr).
Cross-References
- bifidobacterium — primary genus within this order
- endometriosis — depletion in disease models
- postpartum depression — Mendelian randomization evidence
- short chain fatty acids — acetate and lactate production
- actinobacteria — parent phylum