Researching Extinct Microbes And Its Modern Human Health Implications

It’s common knowledge that microbes flourish in our bodies in symbiotic relationships. Now, researchers at the University of Oklahoma are saying that more comprehensive knowledge of extinct microbes may have significant implications on modern human health.

Within the gut, microbes are known to assist in human digestion, improve energy intake, produce vitamins and even help in the development of a healthy immune system.

Cecil Lewis, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, says that ancient DNA research can be helpful in determining whether there are certain aspects of the ecology that all humans share.

"We've introduced bacteria into our system through foods from around the world. Fruits imported from various parts of the world contribute to the global microbiomes that now inhabit our bodies," says the researcher, adding that ancient microbiome studies provide a view of these ecosystems prior to the modern world economy.

Given that the gut microbiome in living people is frequently studied using fecal samples, Lewis and his colleagues would compare two ancient coprolites, which are old dry or fossilized feces, to understand the state of microbiomes before the global world economy.

The researchers say that the c were 1,300 years old from Central Mexico, and that genetic testing determined that they were from two different people.

The team analyzed the microbiomes within the coprolites.

They claim that they have retrieved ancient DNA evidence for bacteria species similar to that seen in human microbiomes today, and characterized the functional aspects of these extinct microbiomes.