Loss of Novel Diversity in Human Gut Microbiota Associated with Ongoing Urbanization in China
Shan Sun, Huijun Wang, Annie Green Howard, Jiguo Zhang, Chang Su, Zhihong Wang, Shufa Du, Anthony A. Fodor, Penny Gordon‐Larsen, Bing Zhang
Abstract
Previous studies have reported the differences in human gut microbiota across populations of different urbanization levels, but most of the studies focused on populations across different geographic regions. In this study, we analyzed the impact of ongoing urbanization in neighborhoods within the same geographic region. By assembling shotgun metagenome sequences, we reconstructed prokaryotic genomes from human gut microbiota and found that the novel bacterial OTUs were less abundant and less prevalent in urban participants than in rural participants, indicating potential loss and suppression of novel human symbionts during urbanization. Genes, including transporters and antibiotic resistance genes, were enriched in genomes of urban origins, suggesting change in functional potential of the microbiota. These findings suggest the significant influence of urbanization on human gut microbiota and the necessity of exploring the microbial diversity of rural populations.