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.
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
0
11
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
0
63
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
0
10
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
0
7
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
0
11
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
0
379
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
0
19
University of California San Diego researchers have developed a new tool for understanding and modifying any microbiome, including the human microbiome. The approach, called Microbial Interaction and Niche Determination (MIND), ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 20, 2026
0
34
Researchers at DTU have developed a new method that can reduce the time needed to find new bacteria for fermentation. They have now identified a bacterium that can be used both for acidification and to increase the vitamin ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 10, 2026
0
73
Living with friends may quietly be altering your gut bacteria, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia. Research on a colony of tiny island birds reveals they share more of their gut bacteria with the ...
Ecology
Apr 10, 2026
0
23
