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Eggs and sperm transmit genetic information from one generation to another. Genetic information is the design drawing for the construction of a functional offspring. Most of this information is encoded in the DNA and can not be modified by experiments such as changes in the environment. However, recently it has been shown that some effects of different lifestyles or environments can be passed from parents to offspring via sperm and egg.
The new study by Per Stenberg, a researcher in Umeå, shows that intestinal bacteria, usually also passed on from one generation to the next, can convey information about the environments to which parents have been exposed.
Intestinal bacteria are transmitted between generations
Already in the field of health, the transfer of intestinal bacteria from donors to patients is used to treat various stomach problems. In some cases, it has been observed that the patient has undesirable characteristics of the donor, such as being overweight. We also know that the bacteria that live in our intestinal tract are usually transmitted from one generation to the next.
"By combining this knowledge with previous scientific studies, which showed that parents' lifestyle effects could be passed on to offspring, we began to think that the bacterium could transmit information about past experiences of a parent. generation to the other, "says Per Stenberg, researcher at the Department of Ecology, Environment and Geosciences of Umeå University.
Banana fly studded
The groundbreaking results come from studies of model organisms. In this case, the banana flies. Per Stenberg and his research group allowed the banana maggot to grow under two different temperatures and studied the effects on offspring. All children were allowed to grow in the same temperature. By determining which parents of offspring inherited their inheritance and intestinal bacteria, they were able to separate the effects transmitted by sperm and eggs from the effects transmitted by intestinal bacteria.
"Although the results were not completely unexpected, my colleagues Aman Zare and Anna-Mia Johansson and I became very excited when we got our first results," said Per Stenberg.
The new roots are published in FEBS magazine's letters, describing a whole new way of inheriting properties next to eggs and sperm.
Original article:
The intestinal microbiome participates in transgenerational transmission or low temperature responses in Drosophila melanogaster. (Zare, A., Johansson, A. M., Karlsson, E., N. Delkomme and P. Stemberg.) Letters from FEBS
Contact:
Per Stenberg, Researcher, Department of Ecology, Environment and Geosciences, University of Umeå, [email protected]
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