Epigenetic regulation by gut microbiota

The gastrointestinal tract is continuously exposed to trillions of commensal microbes, collectively termed the microbiota, which are environmental stimuli that can direct health and disease within the host. In addition to well-established bacterial sensing pathways, microbial signals are also integrated through epigenetic modifications that calibrate the transcriptional program of host cells without altering the underlying genetic code. Microbiota-sensitive epigenetic changes include modifications to the DNA or histones, as well as regulation of non-coding RNAs. While microbiota-sensitive epigenetic mechanisms have been described in both local intestinal cells and as well in peripheral tissues, further…

• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: DK114123