Title Microbiomes, their function, and cancer: how metatranscriptomics can close the knowledge gap /
Authors Aitmanaitė, Lina ; Širmonaitis, Karolis ; Russo, Giancarlo
DOI 10.3390/ijms241813786
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Is Part of International journal of molecular sciences.. Basel : MDPI. 2023, vol. 24, iss. 18, art no. 13786, p. [1-23].. ISSN 1661-6596. eISSN 1422-0067
Keywords [eng] cancer ; metagenomics ; metatranscriptomics ; microbiome
Abstract [eng] The interaction between the microbial communities in the human body and the onset and progression of cancer has not been investigated until recently. The vast majority of the metagenomics research in this area has concentrated on the composition of microbiomes, attempting to link the overabundance or depletion of certain microorganisms to cancer proliferation, metastatic behaviour, and its resistance to therapies. However, studies elucidating the functional implications of the microbiome activity in cancer patients are still scarce; in particular, there is an overwhelming lack of studies assessing such implications directly, through analysis of the transcriptome of the bacterial community. This review summarises the contributions of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to the knowledge of the microbial environment associated with several cancers; most importantly, it highlights all the advantages that metatranscriptomics has over metagenomics and suggests how such an approach can be leveraged to advance the knowledge of the cancer bacterial environment.
Published Basel : MDPI
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2023
CC license CC license description