It is already known that bacterial composition of the gut of Centenarians is associated with a healthier lifespan, but a new study shows that the virome is also implicated in longer and better health.
A combination of bacteriophages (phages) may precisely target and suppress gut bacteria associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), says a new study from Israel that shows the potential of this emerging class of microbiome modulators.
Interest in the human microbiome has never been higher, but much of the attention to date has focused on bacteria, with much less research dedicated to fungi (the mycobiome) and viruses called bacteriophages (known as the virome or phageome).
The presence of a specific bacteriophage – a virus that targets bacteria – in the human gut has been linked to an improvement in cognitive functions and memory in humans, mice, and flies.
European researchers have reported the identification of over 140,000 viral species living in the human gut, more than half of which have never been seen before. The findings could open up new opportunities for bacteriophages for human nutrition.
When it comes to the complex community inside the gut microbiome, scientists have more questions than answers. What is known is that diet impacts the microbiota, with food behind the formation of the microbial flora within the human gut.