Good Gut Bugs Promote Lean Bodies

Posted by Kevin G. Parker, D.C.
Study by:  Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
National Academy of Sciences, 109:  594-599, 2012

Metagenomic systems biology of the human gut microbiome reveals topological shifts associated with obesity and inflammatory bowel disease– Sharon Greenbluma, Peter J. Turnbaughb, and Elhanan Borensteina

Key Points from me:

1.  The Gastrointestinal tract is full of bacteria…some Good guys (sometimes called friendly flora)… and some Bad guys.
2.  The scientists from above study have identified a bacteria pattern that is common in obese people.
3.  The “Fat” bacteria were also linked to inflammation.
4.  Ingesting “Good” bacteria (like in yogurt or Probiotics) have a positive effect on digestion–especially Carbs.

Okay…on with the study

Departments of aGenome Sciences and Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195;FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501-Edited* by Jeffrey I. Gordon, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, and approved November 15, 2011 (received for review October 3, 2011)

Abstract

The human microbiome plays a key role in a wide range of host-related processes and has a profound effect on human health.

Comparative analyses of the human microbiome have revealed substantial variation in species and gene composition associated with a variety of disease states but may fall short of providing a comprehensive understanding of the impact of this variation on the community and on the host.

Here, we introduce a metagenomic systems biology computational framework, integrating metagenomic data with an in silico systems-level analysis of metabolic networks.

Focusing on the gut microbiome, we analyze fecal metagenomic data from 124 unrelated individuals, as well as six monozygotic twin pairs and their mothers, and generate community-level metabolic networks of the microbiome.

Placing variations in gene abundance in the context of these networks, we identify both gene-level and network-level topological differences associated with obesity and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

We show that genes associated with either of these host states tend to be located at the periphery of the metabolic network and are enriched for topologically derived metabolic “inputs.”

These findings may indicate that lean and obese microbiomes differ primarily in their interface with the host and in the way they interact with host metabolism.

We further demonstrate that obese microbiomes are less modular, a hallmark of adaptation to low-diversity environments.

We additionally link these topological variations to community species composition.

The system-level approach presented here lays the foundation for a unique framework for studying the human microbiome, its organization, and its impact on human health.

Other related articles:

Probiotics-Acidophilus-Bifidobacterium

The World Is Fat-Barry Popkin-Professor of Global Nutrition at the University of North Carolina

Inflammation-13 Tips To Fight Inflammation