PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R. Gacesa
AU  - A. Kurilshikov
AU  - A. Vich Vila
AU  - T. Sinha
AU  - M.A.Y. Klaassen
AU  - L.A. Bolte
AU  - S. Andreu-Sánchez
AU  - L. Chen
AU  - V. Collij
AU  - S. Hu
AU  - J.A.M. Dekens
AU  - V.C. Lenters
AU  - J.R. Björk
AU  - J.C. Swarte
AU  - M.A. Swertz
AU  - B.H. Jansen
AU  - J. Gelderloos-Arends
AU  - Lifelines cohort study
AU  - M. Hofker
AU  - R.C.H. Vermeulen
AU  - S. Sanna
AU  - H.J.M. Harmsen
AU  - C. Wijmenga
AU  - J. Fu
AU  - A. Zhernakova
AU  - R.K. Weersma
TI  - The Dutch Microbiome Project defines factors that shape the healthy gut microbiome
AID  - 10.1101/2020.11.27.401125
DP  - 2020 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2020.11.27.401125
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/11/27/2020.11.27.401125.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/11/27/2020.11.27.401125.full
AB  - The gut microbiome is associated with diverse diseases, but the universal signature of an (un)healthy microbiome remains elusive and there is a need to understand how genetics, exposome, lifestyle and diet shape the microbiome in health and disease. To fill this gap, we profiled bacterial composition, function, antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in the gut microbiomes of 8,208 Dutch individuals from a three-generational cohort comprising 2,756 families. We then correlated this to 241 host and environmental factors, including physical and mental health, medication use, diet, socioeconomic factors and childhood and current exposome. We identify that the microbiome is primarily shaped by environment and cohousing. Only ∼13% of taxa are heritable, which are enriched with highly prevalent and health-associated bacteria. By identifying 2,856 associations between microbiome and health, we find that seemingly unrelated diseases share a common signature that is independent of comorbidities. Furthermore, we identify 7,519 associations between microbiome features and diet, socioeconomics and early life and current exposome, of which numerous early-life and current factors are particularly linked to the microbiome. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive overview of gut microbiome and the underlying impact of heritability and exposures that will facilitate future development of microbiome-targeted therapies.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.