Imbalanced gut bacteria can make mice obese, leading to diabetes

Obesity and type 2 diabetes have risen tremendously over the last 20 years, and  weight gain and insulin resistance are linked to gut bacteria that provide a source of extra calories by breaking down compounds that are otherwise indigestible.

Some mice are genetically protected against obesity-induced insulin resistance and, intriguingly, this may be due to alterations in their enteric microbe composition. Now, in this issue of PLoS Biology, Andréa Caricilli and colleagues present compelling evidence that gut bacteria can nullify genetic protections against diabetes … (more)

PLoS Biology, 2011