Abstract:Akkermansia muciniphila was isolated from human faeces in anaerobic medium containing gastric mucin as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. It represents approximately 1% to 3% of the total microbiota in the intestine of healthy adult, and it produces propionic acid as main metabolite. This mucin-degrading bacterium has been closely correlated with host health. A. muciniphila administration could enhance glucose tolerance, reduce insulin resistance, modulate pathways involved in establishing homeostasis for basal metabolism and immune tolerance toward commensal microbiota. But on the contrary, the abundance of the mucin-degrading A. muciniphila was significantly increased by heme diet, which is associated with epithelial hyperproliferation, and destroyed mucus layer. The mechanisms of mucin utilization by this bacterium in the gut and the interactive mechanisms between A. muciniphila and host is still unknown and need further explorations.