TIn a global study led by University of Cambridge researchers, a single group of bacteria has repeatedly shown up in high numbers in the gut microbiomes of healthy people. CAG-170 is a group of gut bacteria known only from their genetic fingerprints, as scientists have never been able to grow most of them in the lab.

Using diverse computational approaches, the team looked for CAG-170’s genetic fingerprint in gut microbiome samples from over 11,000 people. They found CAG-170 was consistently higher in healthy people than in those with diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and CFS. Further analysis of CAG-170 revealed they have the capacity to produce high levels of Vitamin B12, and enzymes that break down a wide range of carbohydrates, sugars and fibres in our gut.