DodoFinance Breaking News Made For You!
About the episode
Our microbiome, or gut flora, is made up of hundreds of different bacteria. And the composition is much less random than previously thought.
We know that the microbiome can differ between individuals, but also between populations. That’s why the researchers were curious if our gut flora could also say something about how we ourselves evolved. Did it kinda go together? Have they changed with us?
To find out, scientists from 1,225 individuals from Europe, Asia and Africa studied their own genes as well as those of the bacterial colony in their digestive system. They saw a parallel with their host’s ancestry story in at least 60 bacterial species.
What they also saw was that the bacterial species in which this link was strongest had developed particular properties. Like smaller genomes and intolerance to oxygen and certain temperatures. This suggests that these bacteria have become more dependent on their host.
When examining healing from or through our microbiome, researchers say it’s important to include the shared evolutionary history of us and our creatures.
Read more: Some gut microbes share an evolutionary history with their human hosts.
“Food expert. Unapologetic bacon maven. Beer enthusiast. Pop cultureaholic. General travel scholar. Total internet buff.”
