The Exciting World Of The Gut Microbiota
Written on Nov 19th, 2019
In 2004, the Human Genome Project was completed. The goal of that project was to sequence the entire human genome, ultimately revealing the cause of a majority of ailments in the modern world. Instead what it revealed was that most of us share over 99% of our genetic code, and that 1% difference doesn’t seem to explain many of our diseases. So if our own genetics aren’t entirely responsible for if we are healthy or sick, what else potentially can be? The answer to that question came shortly after the development of 16s rRNA sequencing technology – technology which allows us, for the first time, to take a detailed look at the complex bacterial organisms living in our guts and each of their roles. Rather than being benign spectators in our lives, it turns out that these bacteria have developed a symbiotic relationship with us throughout our evolution. In terms […]
