加州大学洛杉矶分校的一项研究发现,工业化国家的古特细菌正在迅速演变,以消化加工食品中的合成淀粉。 Gut bacteria in industrialized people are evolving rapidly to digest synthetic starches in processed foods, a UCLA study finds.

根据发表在《自然》期刊的一项UCLA研究，工业化人群中的肠道细菌正在迅速进化，能够消化合成淀粉，如麦芽糊精，这种物质自20世纪60年代以来是超加工食品中常见的添加剂。 Gut bacteria in industrialized populations are rapidly evolving to digest synthetic starches like maltodextrin, a common additive in ultra-processed foods since the 1960s, according to a UCLA study published in Nature. 研究人员发现,有助于淀粉消化的基因变异通过横向基因转移迅速扩散,在工业化群体和非工业化群体之间观察到了不同的基因适应。 Researchers found that gene variants enabling starch digestion have spread quickly through horizontal gene transfer, with distinct genetic adaptations observed between industrialized and non-industrialized groups. 该研究分析了近30多个直肠细菌物种,使用新的统计方法检测这些“湿”基因区域,表明现代饮食的进化压力极大。 The study, which analyzed nearly three dozen gut bacterial species, used a new statistical method to detect these "swept" gene regions, indicating strong evolutionary pressure from modern diets. 虽然DNA转移的确切机制仍然不清楚,但调查结果表明,饮食在形成直肠微生物方面发挥着关键作用。 While the exact mechanisms of DNA transfer remain unclear, the findings suggest diet plays a key role in shaping gut microbiomes. 这项研究突出了超处理食品对健康的潜在影响,并要求进一步研究饮食习惯如何影响微生物进化和人类福祉。 The research highlights potential health implications of ultra-processed foods and calls for further study into how eating habits influence microbial evolution and human well-being.