Ratio between number of genes in human gut “metagenome” and human eukaryotic genome

Range >100 unitless
Organism Human Homo sapiens
Reference De Filippo C. et al., Impact of diet in shaping gut microbiota revealed by a comparative study in children from Europe and rural Africa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Aug 17 107(33):14691-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1005963107. p.14691 left column 2nd paragraphPubMed ID20679230
Primary Source [1] Gill SR, et al. (2006) Metagenomic analysis of the human distal gut microbiome. Science 312: 1355–1359.PubMed ID16741115
Comments P.14691 left column 2nd paragraph: "The human gut “metagenome” is a complex consortium of trillions of microbes, whose collective genomes contain at least 100 times as many genes as our own eukaryote genome (primary source). This essential “organ,” the microbiome, provides the host with enhanced metabolic capabilities, protection against pathogens, education of the immune system, and modulation of gastrointestinal (GI) development (ref 2)." For ratio of 150 see Rowland et al., 2017 p.2 left column: "The gene set of the gut microbiota (the gut microbiome) is estimated to be about 3 million genes −150 times larger than that of the human genome [ref 2]."
Entered by Uri M
ID 111317