This project focuses on the study of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events in the human gut microbiome, with a primary focus on the similarities and differences in the HGT of gut microbes from different lifestyle populations.

Approach

The aim is to compare the HGT profiles of gut microbes from non-industrialised and industrialised populations and to elucidate the impact of HGT on the genomic diversity and ecology of the gut microbiome.

Analysis & Validation

To achieve these goals, isolate genome and shotgun metagenomic data from the Global Microbiome Conservancy (GMbC) cohort will be used, completed with published data from external cohorts. The results of this project will provide new insights into the impact of horizontal gene transfers in the gut microbiome.