Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Aug 30:7:1357.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01357. eCollection 2016.

Correlations of Host Genetics and Gut Microbiome Composition

Krystyna Dąbrowska  1 , Wojciech Witkiewicz  2
Affiliations
Review

Correlations of Host Genetics and Gut Microbiome Composition

Krystyna Dąbrowska et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

The human gut microbiome has a considerable impact on host health. The long list of microbiome-related health disorders raises the question of what in fact determines microbiome composition. In this review we sought to understand how the host itself impacts the structure of the gut microbiota population, specifically by correlations of host genetics and gut microbiome composition. Host genetic profile has been linked to differences in microbiome composition, thus suggesting that host genetics can shape the gut microbiome of the host. However, cause-consequence mechanisms behind these links are still unclear. A survey of the possible mechanisms allowing host genetics to shape microbiota composition in the gut demonstrated the major role of metabolic functions and the immune system. A considerable impact of other factors, such as diet, may outweigh the effects of host genetic background. More studies are necessary for good understanding of the relations between the host genetic profile, gut microbiome composition, and host health. According to the idea of personalized medicine, patient-tailored management of microbiota content remains a fascinating area for further inquiry.

Keywords: QTL; bacteria; gene polymorphism; gut; microbiome; personalized medicine.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Adler J., Rangwalla S. C., Dwamena B. A., Higgins P. D. (2011). The prognostic power of the NOD2 genotype for complicated Crohn’s disease: a meta-analysis. Am. J. Gastroenterol. 106 699–712. 10.1038/ajg.2011.19 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Angelakis E., Armougom F., Million M., Raoult D. (2012). The relationship between gut microbiota and weight gain in humans. Future Microbiol. 7 91–109. 10.2217/fmb.11.142 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Backhed F., Ding H., Wang T., Hooper L. V., Koh G. Y., Nagy A., et al. (2004). The gut microbiota as an environmental factor that regulates fat storage. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101 15718–15723. 10.1073/pnas.0407076101 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bailey M. T., Dowd S. E., Galley J. D., Hufnagle A. R., Allen R. G., Lyte M. (2011). Exposure to a social stressor alters the structure of the intestinal microbiota: implications for stressor-induced immunomodulation. Brain Behav. Immun. 25 397–407. 10.1016/j.bbi.2010.10.023 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Barman M., Unold D., Shifley K., Amir E., Hung K., Bos N., et al. (2008). Enteric salmonellosis disrupts the microbial ecology of the murine gastrointestinal tract. Infect. Immun. 76 907–915. 10.1128/IAI.01432-07 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources