A UK study of over 1, 000 pairs of twins has found organisms that influence diet preferences, metabolism and health can be inherited through genes.
Reporting in Volume 19, Issue 5 of Cell Host and Microbe Journal, the scientists made the discovery through studying the faecal matter of the twins.
“Based on our research, we identified more than a dozen microbes with known links to health that are heritable,” said senior study author Ruth Ley from Cornell University in the US.
The study for example found a connection between the LCT gene, which helps the body digest dairy, and microorganisms in the twins.
“The overall numbers in this study were still small for genome-wide association analysis, but they help validate some of the findings we’ve seen in smaller studies,” Ley said.
“The analysis confirmed earlier findings that several other types of bacteria are also heritable, but specific genes connected to those differences were not found, she stated.
Science stinks
Just when one might assume scientists have had enough of examining faecal matter, another scientific journal just released has highlighted the likely role “poo transplants” will play in restoring gut health in the future.
Published online by academic journal ‘Trends in Molecular Medicine’, a review into antibiotics says the drug will not always be the only go-to option for fighting infection.
The review instead names “faecal matter transplants” or “poo transplants” as developing alternative.
“Faecal material transplants can also help restore commensal gut communities, mucus production, antimicrobial peptide secretion, and provide colonization resistance against pathogens that are cleared or can no longer expand,” the review said.
