Single Gene Change in Gut Bacteria Alters Host Metabolism

It is well established that the microbiome influences the development of obesity and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. But although these associations are well known, the specific ways in which the microbiome affects metabolism are harder to decipher. This is because the gut contains so many species of bacteria producing many different kinds of metabolites. Untangling their different effects is a significant challenge. In this study, researchers used a kind of 'genetic scalpel' to remove a particular gene from the microbiome and then investigated the effects of this change on host metabolism. They decided to focus on a group of substances that occur naturally in the human gut called bile acids. Imbalances in the bile acid pool are thought to contribute to diet-induced obesity. They were surprised to find that the mice colonised with bacteria lacking the hydrolase gained less weight than the mice colonised with the normal bacteria. They also found the animals had lower levels of fats and cholesterol in the blood and liver than those with the hydrolase, and they had a preference for metabolising fats rather than carbohydrates for energy. https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/single-gene-change-in-gut-bacteria-alters-host-metabolism-306527?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=64599007&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_n2CwNwUHa9_rAQtrs0lZNua7qlkxq7RsMiWc1Fu_o0fRbvecsAQIvgqqXMshDDNEy2zfaCdht6W33BjpPTO9yDKFXMA&_hsmi=64599007