Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool microbiomes relating to "Characterising the gut phageome and its links with host metabolism in the general population
Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are emerging as key regulators of the gut microbiome, yet their role in human health remains unclear. Using shotgun metagenomic data from 1,076 TwinsUK participants, we assembled 138,789 non-redundant viral contigs, of which 62% were temperate and 18% virulent. Individuals carried on average 8,545 contigs forming structured networks with bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Blautia wexlerae. Phageome diversity was mainly shaped by environmental factors with modest heritability. Over 1,000 contigs were linked to BMI and lipid metabolism, many carrying auxiliary metabolic genes, suggesting phage-driven modulation of bacterial metabolism. These findings reveal complex phage bacteria host interactions with potential metabolic and therapeutic implications.