Science: Body's hardworking microbes get some overdue respect

An article in Science magazine about the shift in researchers' thinking about the microbes and viruses in and on our bodies, and the role they play in keeping our bodies functioning, reports Steven Gill, associate professor of microbiology and immunology, and colleagues did a metagenomics study of the gut, and found metabolic genes that complemented the human genome, including ones that break down dietary fiber, amino acids or drugs, and others that produce methane or vitamins.