{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T16:28:53Z","timestamp":1769185733823,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768867200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u2018Pacto da Bioeconomia Azul\u2019","award":["C644915664-00000026"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["C644915664-00000026"]}]},{"name":"Next Generation EU European Fund and the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Carotenoids are bioactive pigments with well-established antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, yet their impact on gut microbiota remains poorly understood from a chemical standpoint. This study explores how carotenoid structure and gastrointestinal stability shape microbial responses combining in vitro fermentation with bioinformatic analyses. Methods: Individual carotenoids (beta (\u03b2)-carotene, lutein, lycopene) and combined carotenoids, as well as algal-derived extracts were subjected to 48 h in vitro fermentation, and microbial composition and activity were assessed through sequencing and computational analysis. Results: \u03b2-carotene and lycopene promoted acid-tolerant taxa such as Escherichia-Shigella, whereas lutein, due to its higher polarity, supported more transient fluctuations. Mixtures and algal carotenoids exhibited synergistic effects, sustaining beneficial genera including Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides and promoting structured ecological trajectories. Conclusions: These findings provide a chemistry-driven perspective on how carotenoids act as modulators of microbial ecosystems, with direct implications for the formulation of carotenoid-enriched functional foods and dietary interventions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18020330","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T14:57:58Z","timestamp":1768921078000},"page":"330","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Bioinformatic Insights into the Carotenoids\u2019 Role in Gut Microbiota Dynamics"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-2063-5718","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Helena R.","family":"Rocha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, CBQF\u2014Centro de Biotecnologia e Qu\u00edmica Fina\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8236-2563","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro","family":"Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, CBQF\u2014Centro de Biotecnologia e Qu\u00edmica Fina\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5381-6615","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro Miguel","family":"Rodrigues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, CBQF\u2014Centro de Biotecnologia e Qu\u00edmica Fina\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7883-2446","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana M.","family":"Gomes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, CBQF\u2014Centro de Biotecnologia e Qu\u00edmica Fina\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0760-3184","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuela","family":"Pintado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, CBQF\u2014Centro de Biotecnologia e Qu\u00edmica Fina\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6542-175X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta C.","family":"Coelho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Universidade Cat\u00f3lica Portuguesa, CBQF\u2014Centro de Biotecnologia e Qu\u00edmica Fina\u2014Laborat\u00f3rio Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1290","DOI":"10.1111\/bph.13625","article-title":"Carotenoids: Biochemistry, pharmacology and treatment","volume":"174","author":"Bolhassani","year":"2017","journal-title":"Br. 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