The gastrointestinal microbiome as a biological process encompasses the dynamic interactions, succession, and functional activities of microbial communities residing along the digestive tract and their continuous crosstalk with the host. It involves microbial colonization, competition, and cooperation; fermentation of dietary substrates; synthesis and biotransformation of metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and bile acid derivatives; modulation of epithelial barrier integrity; and regulation of local and systemic immune responses. This process is characterized by context-dependent compositional shifts (e.g., in response to diet, xenobiotics, and inflammation) that influence host metabolism, signaling pathways, and susceptibility to gastrointestinal and extraintestinal diseases.
The human gut harbors a complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms (the microbiome), which influences digestion, the immune system and metabolism. A research team led by the University of Vienna has used the "reverse ...
Evolution
May 6, 2026
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The bacterium Segatella copri is one of the most common inhabitants of the human gut. In their latest study, researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) have discovered that some strains of this bacterial ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 6, 2026
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When cows burp, they send a substantial amount of methane gas into the air, which makes them a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. According to research published in the journal Science, a newly discovered hydrogen-producing ...
New research from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, published in Nature Microbiology, reveals that when microbes live together, they can sense one another and actively reduce competition by shifting toward different roles ...
Ecology
Apr 29, 2026
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Through the air we breathe and the food we eat, we can't help but inhale and ingest tiny bits of plastic every day.
Environment
Apr 26, 2026
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Researchers have developed a powerful new tool that can track how microbes spread between people with unprecedented precision, offering new ways to prevent infections and improve treatments in the future. The research, published ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 24, 2026
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Much of the beauty—and challenge—of biology lies in its complexity. That's especially true in the microbial world, where hundreds or thousands of different bacterial species may co-exist in a patch of soil or in a section ...
Ecology
Apr 23, 2026
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Metagenomics relies on the use of software programs called assemblers, which can reconstruct tens of thousands of individual microbial genomes from DNA sequencing of samples such as soil, bodily fluids, or clinical swabs ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 22, 2026
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A new gut microbiome study of bears in eastern North Carolina expands our understanding of microbial ecosystems in omnivores and contributes to the broader idea that bear feces could help scientists monitor changes in the ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 21, 2026
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378
Adelaide University researchers and industry partners have uncovered scientific evidence that daily probiotic and postbiotic supplementation can significantly boost gut and skin health in dogs, offering pet owners a promising ...
Veterinary medicine
Apr 20, 2026
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