Trillions of microbes thrive within the human gut, shaping our well-being in numerous ways. While previous studies have primarily focused on urban populations, a recent groundbreaking research project shed light on the gut microbiomes of the Hadza people, a hunter-gatherer society residing in northern Tanzania. By comparing their microbiomes with those of individuals in Nepal and California, the study revealed intriguing findings. Notably, the Hadza exhibited a higher diversity of gut microorganisms than individuals from other groups, suggesting that Western lifestyles may have a detrimental impact on gut population variety.
Unveiling the Microbial Diversity
Intriguingly, the average Hadza individual harbored an impressive 730 species of gut microbes. In contrast, Californian gut microbiomes contained a mere 277 species, with Nepali samples falling between the two extremes. The study also discovered previously unknown species within the Hadza microbiomes, including the unique corkscrew-shaped bacterium Treponema succinifaciens. However, this microbe was found in only a few Nepali samples, suggesting its decline as societies become more industrialized.
Filling the Knowledge Gap
The study’s co-authors emphasized the significance of this research in addressing the lack of data on non-industrialized populations. By expanding the sequencing efforts to under-represented regions, the study aimed to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of regional and lifestyle variations in human gut microbiomes. The results further reinforced the well-established notion that the gut microbiomes of non-industrial societies possess greater diversity, surpassing previous expectations.
Expanding the Microbiome Perspective
The research team examined fecal samples collected from 167 Hadza individuals, encompassing infants and mothers, over a period from 2013 to 2014. In comparison, samples from four Nepali groups from 2016 and Californian participants from a 2021 study on diet’s influence on the microbiome were also included. More than 90,000 microbial genomes were sequenced, comprising bacteria, bacteriophages, archaea, and eukaryotes. Astonishingly, over 1,000 bacterial and archaeal species recovered from the Hadza samples were previously unknown to science, highlighting the vast uncharted territory of the human gut microbiome.
The Price of Industrialization
The study shed light on the consequences of industrialization on gut microbiomes. Microbes commonly found in industrialized populations exhibited genes associated with responding to oxidative damage, potentially linked to chronic inflammation in the gut. The absence of these genes in the Hadza microbiomes suggested a different gut adaptation mechanism in non-industrialized societies. By studying non-Western populations, researchers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the human gut microbiome, including the species at risk of extinction in industrialized populations and their potential impact on human health.
Preserving the Microbial Heritage
The insights gleaned from investigating non-industrial populations offer a crucial opportunity to comprehend the complete array of microbes that coexist within us. By studying and understanding these microbes before they disappear, researchers can potentially mitigate an extinction event and explore the implications for human health. With this knowledge, we can better appreciate the remarkable influence of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle on nurturing a thriving gut microbiome.
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