Factors associated with the diversification of the gut microbial communities within chimpanzees from Gombe National Park

The gastrointestinal tract harbors large and diverse populations of bacteria that vary among individuals and within individuals over time. Numerous internal and external factors can influence the contents of these microbial communities, including diet, geography, physiology, and the extent of contact among hosts. To investigate the contributions of such factors to the variation and changes in gut microbial communities, authors analyzed the distal gut microbiota of individual chimpanzees from two communities in Gombe National Park, Tanzania.

New Insights in Gut Microbiota Establishment in Healthy Breast FedNeonates

The establishment of a pioneer gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a crucial stage in neonatal development influencing health throughout life. While current knowledge is mainly based on either culture or molecular analysis of feces, authors of this article have opted for a comprehensive approach complementing culture with state-of-the-art molecular methods.

Gut microbiota: a potential new territory for drug targeting

The significant involvement of the gut microbiota in human health and disease suggests that manipulation of commensal microbial composition through combinations of antibiotics, probiotics and prebiotics could be a novel therapeutic approach.