Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard have discovered that the gut bacteria of a pregnant woman and the fetus in her womb can exchange genes. Discovery published in a journal cell.
The scientists tracked the co-development of gut microbes and the substances they secrete from late pregnancy to 12 months of age. The study included 70 mothers and their babies.
For the first time, biologists have discovered large-scale interspecies transmission of genetic elements from mother to child. This caused the infants’ gut bacteria to secrete more than 2,500 unique substances not found in mothers.
This study is the first to describe the exchange of transmissible genetic elements between maternal and child microbiomes. A significant part of the child’s gut microbiome receives it from the mother during pregnancy and during the first months of life. Intestinal bacteria secrete various substances and contribute in part to the maturation of the baby’s immune system. Microbial substances also affect early cognitive development.
Source: Gazeta
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