Epigenetics and gut microbiome of reptiles can reveal potential targets to improve human health and performance

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in both human and animal health. Nutrition, genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and epigenetic alterations significantly influence the microbiome and its interactions with the host. Epigenetic modifications include DNA methylation, histone modification and regulation of non-coding RNAs. Given the ability of reptiles to survive, thrive and adapt over millions of years, it is logical to be associated with their robust immune system and unique gut microbiome/epigenetic alterations, and it is a worthy area of investigation. As up to 80% of the immune system resides in the gut, the reptilian gut microbiome represents a unique potential resource for discovery of novel molecules that impact the host epigenome. Herein, we discuss the role of epigenetics and the gut microbiome, with a focus on long-lived reptiles such as crocodiles. Finally, epigenetic gut microbial modulation strategies are deliberated upon.