Applying the Restaurant Hypothesis to Intestinal Microbiota

Abstract

As in other ecosystems, competition for resources drives the microbial community structure within the intestine. For so many species to coexist within the intestine, each uses at least one limiting nutrient better than all others, according to the late Rolf Freter of the University of Michigan and his collaborators. Accordingly, if residents within that community consume the nutrients that an invader needs, this potential pathogen will not find essential nutrients and will fail to become established.