The gut microbiome, a complex community of microorganisms residing in the host’s digestive tract, consists of a vast number and variety of tiny life forms. However, how the gut microbiome influences human health remains largely unknown. A significant number of gut microbial products remain uncharacterized and vast in quantity, necessitating further in-depth research. To address this challenge, our team has conducted a series of studies. Based on metagenomic data, we developed an efficient analysis tool, MetaWIBELE, for identifying gene functional potential, revealing the potential significance of many previously unknown gut microbial genes in inflammatory bowel disease. Then, we explored how the gut ecosystem can mitigate virulence or respond to acute infection. We presented a comprehensive exploration of functional dysbiosis in the gut microbiome in response to ETEC infection and antibiotic treatment in a laboratory environment. We conducted a longitudinal analysis on six adult participants, tracking their microbial community and activity profiles before, during, and after controlled exposure to ETEC and antibiotic-mediated recovery.

gut microbiome; metagenome; multi-omics; data mining