Genome-wide association study of the gut microbiome
The effect of human genetics on the microbiome is underexplored, due to lack of well-powered studies with high-quality data. We therefore set out to perform a genome-wide association study of the gut microbiome in 16,040 Swedish participants using high-resolution microbiome data.
Details
- Funder: EU – Horizon Europe – ERC, Hjärt-Lungfonden
Project description
The human gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of microorganisms, has been associated with various health conditions, including cardiometabolic, gastrointestinal, and neurological disorders. Advances in sequencing technologies have allowed for a detailed study of the microbiome, revealing its variability among individuals. While the effects of diet, lifestyle, and medication on the microbiome are well-studied, the influence of host genetics is underexplored due to limited large-scale studies with high resolution microbiome data.
Only a few genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have explored the genetic factors influencing the microbiome, with the largest studies identifying variants in the LCT (lactase) and ABO (blood type) loci. One Finnish study also found an association with the MED13L locus, but this finding has not been replicated. Technical differences in sample collection and analysis across studies complicate comparisons, contributing to variability in results.
We are conducting a GWAS of the gut microbiome using high-resolution metagenomic sequencing data of 16,040 participants from four Swedish cohorts (SCAPIS, MOS, SIMPLER-U and SIMPLER-V), utilizing a harmonized data pipeline, and replicating findings in the HUNT cohort of 12,652 participants. This harmonized approach aims to uncover robust genetic associations with the gut microbiome.