The altitudinal patterns of global human gut microbial diversity

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Human Ecology
• Genomics

Background:

• The human gut microbiota plays a crucial role in health and disease.
• Altitudinal gradients may influence gut microbial communities due to environmental and lifestyle factors.
• Global-scale analysis of altitude's impact on human gut microbiota is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the global patterns of human gut microbiota diversity, composition, and function across varying altitudes.
• To analyze 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data from healthy individuals at different altitudes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data from multiple open-access databases.
• Analyzed data from healthy individuals across an altitudinal range of 3 m to 3850 m from 15 countries.
• Focused on microbial diversity, community composition, and functional gene profiles.

Main Results:

• Gut microbial diversity decreased with increasing altitude globally.
• Relative abundances of Faecalibacterium and Blautia decreased, while Prevotella increased with altitude.
• Genes involved in terpenoid/polyketide metabolism, lipid metabolism, neurodegenerative diseases, and aging increased with altitude; immune and carbohydrate metabolism genes decreased.

Conclusions:

• Altitude significantly impacts the diversity, composition, and functional attributes of the human gut microbiota.
• Findings highlight the influence of environmental factors on the human microbiome.