Research reveals Nehandertals intestinal flora, bacteria that help our health

The Neanderthal gut flora already contains some beneficial microorganisms that are also found in our own gut, suggesting the results of new studies.

An international research group led by the University of Bologna achieved this result by extracting and analyzing ancient DNA from 50,000-year-old fecal deposits collected at the site of El Salt near Alicante (Spain). ..

Their paper, published in Communication Biology, hypothesized the existence of ancestral components of the human microflora inhabiting the human gastrointestinal tract even before the separation of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals over 700,000 years ago. Is advocating.

“These results give us an idea of ​​which components of the human gut flora are essential to our health. These are also essential elements of our biology from an evolutionary perspective. That’s why, “said the University of Bologna, who coordinated the study. “Currently, the diversity of microbiota is gradually diminishing due to the circumstances of our modern life. The findings of this research group are dietary and lifestyle-specific solutions to counter this phenomenon. May guide us in devising. “

Problems with “modern” microbiota

The intestinal flora is a collection of trillions of symbiotic microorganisms that inhabit our gastrointestinal tract. It represents an integral part of our biology and performs important functions of our body, such as metabolism, regulation of the immune system and protection from pathogenic microorganisms.

Recent studies have shown how some modernity features, such as processed food consumption, substance use, and living in a highly sterilized environment, lead to a significant reduction in intestinal flora biodiversity. Is shown. This depletion is mainly due to the loss of a set of microorganisms called “old friends”.

“The process of depletion of the gut flora in the modern western urban population may represent an important awakening call,” said Simone Lamperi, a researcher at the University of Bologna and the first author of the study. Says. “This depletion process will be particularly alarming when accompanied by the loss of components of the microbial flora that are essential to our physiology.”

Indeed, there are some alarming signs. For example, in Europe and the United States, cases of chronic inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer are increasing dramatically.

How the “ancient” microbial flora can help

How can we identify the components of the gut flora that are more important to our health? And how can you protect them with a targeted solution? This was the starting point behind the ancestral character of our microflora, the idea of ​​identifying the core of the human gut flora that remains consistent throughout our evolutionary history. Today’s technology can successfully tackle this challenge thanks to paleomicrobiology, a new scientific discipline that studies ancient microbes from archaeological sites through DNA sequencing.

The research group analyzed ancient DNA samples collected in El Salt (Spain), where many Neanderthals lived. More precisely, they analyzed ancient DNA extracted from sedimentary feces 50,000 years ago, the oldest sample of fecal material available to date. In this way, they managed to stitch together the composition of the microorganisms that inhabit the Neanderthal gut. By comparing the composition of the Neanderthal microflora with ours, many similarities arose.

“Through the analysis of ancient DNA, we were able to isolate the microbial core shared with modern Homo sapiens,” explains Sylvia Turoni, a researcher and lead author of the study at the University of Bologna. “This finding states that these ancient microbes inhabited the intestines of our species prior to the separation of Sapiens and Neanderthals that occurred about 700,000 years ago.”

Protection of microbial flora

These ancestral components of the human gut flora include many well-known bacteria (Blautia, Dorea, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium, etc.) that are the basis of our health. Indeed, these bacteria regulate the balance between our metabolism and immunity by producing short-chain fatty acids from dietary fiber. There is also bifidobacteria. It is a microorganism that plays an important role in regulating immune defense, especially in early childhood. Finally, in the Neanderthal gut flora, researchers have identified some of their “old friends.” This supports the ancestral nature of these components and the researchers’ hypothesis about the recent depletion of the human gut flora due to modern living conditions.

“In today’s modernization scenario, where the diversity of microbiota is gradually diminishing, this information provides a dietary and lifestyle-based integration strategy to protect the microorganisms that underlie our health. It could lead, “Candela concludes. “For this purpose, promoting a sustainable lifestyle for the gut flora is of utmost importance as it helps maintain a composition compatible with our biology.”

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