A scientific breakthrough could potentially improve gut health for millions

A group of scientists recently turned a gut feeling into a gut reality.

Researchers at Eligo Bioscience, a biotech company in Paris, have designed the world's first gene-editing tool that can modify the gut microbiome of a living creature.

Why it’s important: The human gut microbiome, aka the trillions of microorganisms living in the intestinal tract, is vital to overall health. Sometimes referred to as the “second brain,” it’s home to the Enteric Nervous System – a network of millions of neurons wrapped in and around our gut that are in constant communication with the brain.

The breakthrough: Until now, base editors used to modify the gut microbiome have failed to modify enough of the target bacterial population to be effective.

But the team involved with the study figured out a workaround, engineering a brand-new delivery vehicle using components of a bacteriophage – a virus that infects bacteria – to home in on several E. coli receptors that are expressed in the gut environment. Using this method, they were able to modify two different E. coli genes and successfully overhaul the gut microbiome of living mice.

• The scientists’ research also suggests their editing system can be adapted to target different bacteria strains and species.

👀 Looking ahead… While this base-editing experiment proved it possible to successfully alter the gut microbiome, the next step for researchers is to develop mouse models with microbiome-driven diseases to measure whether specific gene edits have a beneficial impact on health.