CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 1, 2010 — Applying employment contract theory to symbiosis, a new paper suggests mutually beneficial relationships are maintained by simple self-interest, with partners benefiting from healthy hosts much as employees benefit…
Researchers have completed sequencing the genome of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, one of the most prevalent bacteria that live in the human intestine. “Now that the draft sequence of the human genome is complete, it’s critical that we study the environmental forces that regulate our gene expression,” says principal investigator Jeffrey I. Gordon. “Humans enjoy mutually beneficial relationships with billions of bacteria that live in our gut. Discovering how these microbes manipulate our biology to benefit themselves and us should provide new insights about the foundations of our health and new therapeutic strategies for preventing or treating various diseases.”