Fecal Microbe transplants: B. vulgatus Genes that Correlate with Early Colonization

                                                           

    Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine identified 150 bacterial strains that frequently engraft after fecal microbial transplants to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile infections. In a follow-up, UAB researchers Hyunmin Koo and Casey D. Morrow focused on the microbe Bacteroides vulgatus, prevalent in healthy guts. They analyzed its genes to determine which were unique to early-colonizing strains. Only 19 common genes were identified out of 4,911, with two genes – a putative chitobiase and a unique fimbrillin family protein – being highlighted. These genes could help enhance colonization after a fecal microbe transplant. The UAB study suggests further application in restoring gut flora after treatments like chemotherapy.

    This article highlights important progress in understanding and fighting against recurrent Clostridium difficile infections. The researchers spent so much time figuring out how fecal microbial transplants work at the gene level. Using both computer data and actual patient samples makes the study even stronger, and provides hope to hundreds and thousands of patients suffering since there is so little known about which donor strains provide long-term engraftment, and which engraft early after the transplant. The second article also shows how there's uncertainty about which donor strains ensure successful long-term outcomes. The article also states that most failures of fecal microbe transplantation occur in the first four weeks. This is deeply saddening and the only way that healthcare professionals can provide better treatment is through advancements in genetics. 

Links: 

https://www.uab.edu/news/research/item/13807-fecal-microbe-transplants-b-vulgatus-genes-that-correlate-with-early-colonization#:~:text=Researchers%20found%2019%20Bacteroides%20vulgatus,in%20the%20first%20four%20weeks.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231013123116.htm

Mystery on the Canary Islands

For many years, the mystery of how the indigenous people arrived on the Canary Islands before European settlers were unknown. The debate over when and why the canary islands were first populated initially arose by Europeans in the 1400s. Records indicated that the Canarians had no navigational skills. This led scholars to wonder how the Canarians even reached the islands. Were they brought by the Romans or perhaps sailed there themselves? Because the language and culture of the indigenous people were lost after European colonization, it has been especially difficult to learn about the past of the Canary Islands. To investigate, Dr. Fregel and her colleagues collected almost 50 mitochondrial DNA genomes from remains at 25 different sites. Most of the cites were radiocarbon dated 150 and 1400 C.E. Results showed North African, Mediterranean, and some sub-Saharan African lineages.  This fit with the genetic history of North Africa. The analysis also showed that the islands didn't have much diversity, where others had a great deal of diversity. This indicated that these ancient populations must have been large. Researchers found lineages that were known only from parts of North Africa and Europe. As well as four new lineages exclusive to Gran Canaria and two eastern islands. Dr. Fregel proposed that this might mean colonization happened in at least two phases with the second wave of migration only on islands closer to the African continent. Even though this evidence did not show how the Canarians arrived on the island, they were able to discover where they may have originated from.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/science/canary-islands-indigenous-dna.html
Samples being collected from mummified remains at El Museo Canario in the Canary Islands.



I found this article really interesting and amazing that the researchers were able to study a remains dated all the way back to 150-1400 C.E. Mitochondrial DNA can tell us a lot of valuable information about the past that can then be used for many things science or health-related in the future!