1116-Epigenetic Phase Variation in the Gut Microbiome
This research identifies epigenetic phase variation (ePV) as a widespread mechanism that enables human gut bacteria to adapt to shifting environments through DNA methylation. By utilizing long-read metagenomic sequencing, scientists discovered that these epigenetic shifts create intra-strain heterogeneity, allowing microbial populations to hedge their bets against stresses like antibiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation. A specific study of Akkermansia muciniphila revealed that an ePV upregulates the mucC gene, directly increasing the bacterium's tolerance to amoxicillin. These…
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