MELBOURNE, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have discovered hundreds of previously unknown viruses that live inside bacteria in the human gut.
These viruses, known as bacteriophages, could eventually be used to reshape the gut microbiome, potentially influencing gut health and the progression of various disease states, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's Monash University.
The study, published in Nature, is the first of its kind and uses a large-scale, culture-based approach to isolate and study temperate bacteriophages in the human gut, it said.
The research team worked with 252 bacterial isolates from the human microbiome, which had to be grown in the lab using specialized anaerobic chambers devoid of oxygen, and were then treated with ten diverse compounds, foods, and conditions.
The study found that Stevia, a common plant-based sugar substitute, and compounds released by human gut cells, were leading activators for gut phages, and can awaken dormant viruses in gut bacteria, which could have major implications for gut diseases like inflammatory bowel disease.
"This is a foundational study that changes how we think about and study the viruses within the human gut," said Professor Jeremy Barr from Monash University's School of Biological Sciences, the study's senior author.
The study, in collaboration with Australia's Hudson Institute of Medical Research, suggests that human biology plays an important and direct role in shaping the viral landscape of the gut.
"Our findings suggest that the human host isn't just a passive environment, it's actively influencing viral behavior," said study first author, Monash researcher Sofia Dahlman.
Using CRISPR-based genetic engineering, scientists also identified mutations in viral genes that prevent activation, offering insight into how some gut viruses become permanently dormant, which could inform future therapeutic strategies aimed at manipulating the gut microbiome for health benefits.
The study lays the groundwork for future applications in synthetic biology, biotechnology, and microbiome therapeutics, marking a major step forward in "decoding the viral dark matter of the human gut," Barr said. ■
