Genes Can Move From the Maternal to Infant Microbiome

A fascinating discovery.

Bacteria can share their genes with other bacteria, very much like humans can share recipes for cooking.

Now it was found that gut bacteria from mothers can share genes with gut bacteria of infant without transferring the bacteria themselves:

“Researchers have now found that bacteria in the maternal microbiome can share genes with bacteria in the infant microbiome, in the period just before birth until a few weeks after delivery - the perinatal period.

Horizontal gene transfer enables maternal microbes to influence how bacteria in the infant microbiome are functioning, without actually moving the maternal microbes themselves.”