Archive · 24 Dec 2025
Roommate Genes May Influence Gut Health
Scientists studied rats to see how genes affect gut bacteria.
They found that the genes of rats living together can influence the gut bacteria of each other.
This happens because certain genes help specific bacteria grow, and these bacteria can spread to other rats through close contact.
For example, a gene called St6galnac1 helps a type of bacteria called Paraprevotella grow.
This bacteria can then spread to other rats, affecting their gut health.
The study suggests that living with others might impact your gut health in ways we didn't know before.
It also hints that similar things might happen in humans, where the genes of people you live with could affect your gut bacteria and health.
A study found that the genes of cohabiting rats can influence the gut bacteria of each other.
The gene St6galnac1 helps the growth of Paraprevotella bacteria, which can spread to other rats.
The study involved 4,000 rats divided into four groups across different facilities in the United States.
Genetic influence on gut health was found to be four to eight times stronger when social effects were included.
The findings suggest that genes may affect the health of people around you, not just your own health.
- Who
- Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona
- What
- A study on how genes of cohabiting rats influence their gut bacteria
- When
- Published on December 18 in Nature Communications
- Where
- Conducted across four different facilities in the United States
- Why
- To understand the social effects of genes on gut microbiome
- Study Subject
- 4,000 rats
- Key Gene
- St6galnac1
- Key Bacterium
- Paraprevotella
- Study Publication
- Nature Communications
- Publication Date
- December 18
- Researcher
- Dr. Amelie Baud
- Institution
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona