Researchers identified a gut bacterium called Turicibacter that improves metabolic health and reduces weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet. The work appears in the journal Cell Metabolism.
Earlier the team showed a group of about 100 bacteria could prevent weight gain, but it was hard to find one single microbe. Many gut bacteria die quickly outside the gut, so the researchers cultured microbes for years before they found Turicibacter.
Turicibacter makes many fatty molecules that the small intestine absorbs. Giving mice the bacterium's purified fats produced similar weight effects, and the team plans to identify the specific fats involved.
Difficult words
- bacterium — a single microscopic living organismbacterium's
- metabolic — related to the body's chemical processes
- culture — grow microbes in a labcultured
- absorb — take in liquids or nutrients into bodyabsorbs
- purify — clean something by removing impuritiespurified
- identify — find and name something or someone
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think studying gut bacteria is important? Why?
- Would you consider changing your diet for better health? Why or why not?
- What is one challenge the researchers had when they looked for microbes?
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