Modulating the Gut Microbiome through Genome Editing for Alleviating Gut Dysbiosis

One of the components of the emerging lifestyle shows an exponential rise in the consumption of packaged or high-calorie food. This has caused an increase in the incidences of diseases which are considered to be a consequence of the changing lifestyle. It has been observed that these clinical conditions are linked with gut dysbiosis, and hence it has been proposed that by modulation of the composition of gut microbiota, the risk of such diseases can be lowered. Prebiotics and probiotics, in combination, possess tremendous potential for maintaining the homeostasis in individuals. In this chapter, a comparative assessment of CRISPR-mediated genome editing technique has been discussed with conventional omics tools and modelling approaches. These techniques substantially simplify the modification of target genome in complex microbial communities and could enhance their prebiotic and probiotic potential. The synthetic biology approach to microbiome therapies such as additive, subtractive, and modulatory therapies for curing gut dysbiosis are also discussed. The chapter is aimed at developing a better understanding about the role of CRISPR/Cas as a reliable technology that may be employed as a diagnostic tool for infectious disease diagnosis as well as its treatment. Although, the tool has already demonstrated its use in a wide range of genome editing and genetic engineering applications, additional study into its use in human genome editing and diagnostics is needed considering any potential side effects or ambiguities. 

Keywords: Gut microbiome, Gut dysbiosis, Genome editing, Prebiotics and probiotics, CRISPR.