The Microbes inside Us and the Race for Colibactin

Gut reaction: There is increasing evidence that the impact on human health and disease of the microbes living in and on us has been underestimated. Several of the small molecules produced by “our” bacteria are structurally highly complex and show unusual biosynthetic pathways or modes of action, as highlighted by the race to elucidate the structure and biosynthesis of colibactin, a genotoxic compound produced by human gut bacteria.