Microbial Fingerprinting
Harvard Medical SchoolScientists have analyzed the genetic repertoire of bacteria in the human mouth and gut The effort marks the first chapter in efforts to compile a compendium of all genes in the human microbiome Mapping the microbial genome can reveal links between bacterial genes and disease risk and could inform the development of precision therapies Analysis reveals staggering person-to-person variation in microbial gene content Unique microbial genes, specific to each person, have functions distinct from common, or shared, genes Unique genes may act as a microbe’s evolutionary organ Researchers have made the data publicly accessible at The Universe of Microbial Genes