Functionally Enriched Human Polymorphisms Associate to Species in the Chronic Wound Microbiome
Summary: This open-access study conducted a microbiome genome-wide association (mbGWAS) across >500 patients with chronic wounds, linking human genetic variants to relative abundance of specific bacterial species. The results show that host genetics partially shape wound microbial communities, revealing 193 candidate loci across 25 genomic regions associated with 16 bacterial species. These findings suggest a genetic influence on wound colonization and healing trajectories.
Key Highlights:
- Identified 193 candidate variants across 25 genomic regions linked to 16 wound bacterial species.
- Per-species heritability estimates ranged up to 20%.
- Functional annotation showed enriched pathways in extracellular matrix organization, immune signaling, and transport.
- Species associated via genetics co-occurred with known pathogens such as *Staphylococcus aureus*.
- Genetic distance among patients correlated with overall microbiome dissimilarity.
Keywords:
chronic wound microbiome,
genetic variants,
mbGWAS,
host-microbiome interactions,
bacterial community structure