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Human gut microbes associated with obesity

Author

Listed:
  • Ruth E. Ley

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

  • Peter J. Turnbaugh

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

  • Samuel Klein

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

  • Jeffrey I. Gordon

    (Washington University School of Medicine)

Abstract

Inside story Our gut microbes do us a service by performing metabolic chores that we have not evolved to do for ourselves. In a sense their genes are part of the 'metagenome' that is Homo sapiens. That is illustrated by two related papers in this issue that present evidence for a microbial component to obesity. A study of the abundance of the two dominant groups of bacteria in the gut of obese individuals shows that increased numbers of Bacteroidetes bacteria correlate with weight loss. And a study of genetically obese mice reveals that their gut microbial community has a greater capacity for harvesting energy than that of lean littermates: the trait is transmissible by transplanting the community into germ-free mice. This work suggests that the gut microbiome associated with obesity might be a biomarker and possibly a therapeutic target.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruth E. Ley & Peter J. Turnbaugh & Samuel Klein & Jeffrey I. Gordon, 2006. "Human gut microbes associated with obesity," Nature, Nature, vol. 444(7122), pages 1022-1023, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:444:y:2006:i:7122:d:10.1038_4441022a
    DOI: 10.1038/4441022a
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