The gut microbiome and metabolome of two riparian communities in the Amazon

In order to probe the effects of this environment on the microbial and chemical ecology of the human gut microbiome, we characterized the microbial composition of feces from individuals from two riverine communities in the Amazon and compared it to the microbial populations found in the feces of individuals living in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, a highly populated and industrialized city. Additionally, we investigated the chemical composition of the gut metabolome of these three groups of individuals using high-throughput metabolomics, with the goal of comparing the metabolic activity of their microbiomes. By doing so, we found significant differences in gut microbial and chemical composition when the two Amazon populations were compared to individuals from the urban environment. On the other hand, no striking differences were found when the gut microbiome and metabolome of the two Amazon populations were compared. To our knowledge, this is the first report of gut microbiome and metabolome investigations of Amazon populations. These data highlight environmental conditions, such as nutrition, as critical factors for the functioning of the human gut microbial ecosystem. Further studies will reveal additional details and specificities of microbiomes from Amazon populations, and their potential impact on human health.