The impact of travel on gut health and antibiotic resistance

Have you ever wondered how jet-setting across the globe might affect your gut health? A recent study has dug into this intriguing question, revealing that travel can have some unexpected impacts on the helpful bacteria in our digestive systems. Not only does travel change our gut microbiome, but it can also increase the chances of carrying antibiotic-resistant microbes.

And here’s the twist: it’s not just about the state of your gut before the journey. Surprisingly, the study found no direct link between your gut’s pre-travel condition and acquiring antibiotic-resistant microorganisms during your adventures. So, instead of tinkering with your gut bacteria, this research suggests that focusing on travel habits and behaviors might be the key to reducing the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections. Read more about this under Article 2 below.

Article 1: Single-cell brain organoid screening identifies developmental defects in autism

Scientists developed a system called CHOOSE (CRISPR–human organoids–single-cell RNA sequencing) to study autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in human brain organoids. They used CRISPR technology and single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate 36 high-risk ASD genes linked to transcriptional regulation, discovering specific cell types affected. They also found that gene mutations in the BAF complex, especially ARID1B, influence the development of brain cells, confirming this in patient-derived organoids. This system helps analyze ASD-related genes in organoids, offering valuable insights into the molecular pathways and gene networks involved in neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD. Read the full article here.

In summary: CHOOSE to analyze ASD genes in human brain organoids effectively

Article 2: Gut microbiome perturbation, antibiotic resistance, and Escherichia coli strain dynamics associated with international travel: a metagenomic analysis

This study examined how traveling to different countries affects the helpful bacteria in our guts and our risk of getting infections that resist antibiotics. They discovered that travel can change our gut bacteria and make us more likely to carry antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Many travelers also picked up new types of E. coli bacteria during their trips, especially if they engaged in certain travel habits. Surprisingly, the study did not find a direct connection between our gut bacteria before traveling and getting these antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. So, instead of trying to change our gut bacteria, they suggest that focusing on how we travel and what we do during trips might be a better way to reduce the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections. Read the full article here.

In summary: Travel can alter gut bacteria, increasing antibiotic-resistant infections risk

Article 3: Mutation rates and fitness consequences of mosaic chromosomal alterations in blood

Mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs) are changes in our DNA that can lead to cancer and often occur long before diagnosis. Researchers studied 500,000 people and found that these alterations have a significant impact on our health, but they are relatively rare compared to other genetic changes. However, some mCAs, like the loss of X and Y chromosomes, happen much more frequently. While most mCAs become more common as we age, some behave differently, hinting that inherited traits, external factors, or variations in their effects might be at play. Understanding these genetic changes and their effects could help us predict cancer risk better and learn more about how our bodies evolve on a cellular level. Read the full article here.

In summary: Mosaic chromosomal alterations affect cancer risk, varying in frequency and behavior

Article 4: ClinPrior: an algorithm for diagnosis and novel gene discovery by network-based prioritization

ClinPrior is a new method for analyzing genetic data that helps diagnose rare diseases. It uses standardized patient symptoms and an interactome network to find the most likely disease-causing genetic changes. When tested on real patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia and cerebellar ataxia, it successfully identified causative variants in 70% of cases, even discovering 10 new candidate genes not previously linked to these diseases. This breakthrough not only improves the accuracy of genetic diagnoses but also speeds up the process, reducing the time patients spend searching for answers and expanding our knowledge of rare diseases. ClinPrior offers hope and progress for those with difficult-to-diagnose conditions. Read the full article here.

In summary: ClinPrior improves rare disease diagnosis using patient symptoms and genetic data

References

[1] Li, C., Fleck, J. S., Martins-Costa, C., Burkard, T. R., Themann, J., Stuempflen, M., Peer, A. M., Vertesy, Á., Littleboy, J. B., Esk, C., Elling, U., Kasprian, G., Corsini, N. S., Treutlein, B., & Knoblich, J. A. (2023). Single-cell brain organoid screening identifies developmental defects in autism. Nature, 621(7978), 373–380. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06473-y

[2] Worby, C. J., Sridhar, S., Turbett, S. E., Becker, M. V., Kogut, L., Sanchez, V., Bronson, R. A., Rao, S. R., Oliver, E., Walker, A. T., Walters, M. S., Kelly, P., Leung, D. T., Knouse, M. C., Hagmann, S. H. F., Harris, J. B., Ryan, E. T., Earl, A. M., & LaRocque, R. C. (2023). Gut microbiome perturbation, antibiotic resistance, and Escherichia coli strain dynamics associated with international travel: a metagenomic analysis. The Lancet. Microbe, S2666-5247(23)00147-7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-5247(23)00147-7

[3] Watson, C. J., & Blundell, J. R. (2023). Mutation rates and fitness consequences of mosaic chromosomal alterations in blood. Nature genetics, 10.1038/s41588-023-01490-z. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01490-z

[4] Schlüter, A., Vélez-Santamaría, V., Verdura, E., Rodríguez-Palmero, A., Ruiz, M., Fourcade, S., Planas-Serra, L., Launay, N., Guilera, C., Martínez, J. J., Homedes-Pedret, C., Albertí-Aguiló, M. A., Zulaika, M., Martí, I., Troncoso, M., Tomás-Vila, M., Bullich, G., García-Pérez, M. A., Sobrido-Gómez, M. J., López-Laso, E., … Pujol, A. (2023). ClinPrior: an algorithm for diagnosis and novel gene discovery by network-based prioritization. Genome medicine, 15(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13073-023-01214-2