gut microbiota

Commonly added to processed foods, emulsifiers are associated with changes in gut microbiome composition and increased inflammation in mice.

Mosquitoes that consume penicillin and streptomycin-laced blood pick up malaria more easily.

Analyzing data from a large twin study, researchers have homed in on how host genetics can shape the gut microbiome.

Chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas harbor more microbial diversity in their guts than do humans, a study shows.

Gut microbiome analysis reveals protective bacteria that enhance resistance to persistent Clostridium difficile infections.

Frequent airplane travel may contribute to obesity by throwing off circadian rhythms and changing the composition of the intestinal microbiome, according to a new study.

During systemic infection, mice kick-start the production of a specific sugar to feed and protect the beneficial bacteria in their guts while fighting pathogenic strains.

Lengthy stints in intensive care units pare down patients’ gut microflora, a study shows.

The consumption of artificial sweeteners results in glucose intolerance mediated by changes in the gut microbiota in both mice and humans, researchers report.

Low doses of antibiotics early in life lead to adult obesity in mice, a study shows.

The pace at which bacterial groups take root in the gastrointestinal tracts of premature infants is more tied to developmental age than time since birth.

Foregut microbes in Mojave Desert rats help the animals metabolize creosote toxins.

An updated analysis of the gut microbiome extends the list of known bacterial genes to 9.8 million. 

The gut bacterial communities of severely malnourished children appear to be less developed than those of healthy children, a study on Bangladeshi infants and toddlers finds.

Modern hunter-gatherers have more diverse microbiota in their guts than do urban Europeans, but lack a few notable species.

Commensal bacteria that populate the human gastrointestinal tract help digest dark chocolate, releasing anti-inflammatory compounds, researchers report.

Souped-up E. coli can detect an antibiotic within the guts of live mice, researchers show.

Salmonella enterica can exploit a standard immune response in mice to promote its own growth.

Migratory locusts are less likely to aggregate into crop-devastating swarms when infected by the parasite Paranosema locustae.

Extreme diets can alter the microbial makeup of the human GI tract, and change the behavior of those bacteria.