Gut bacteria engineered as a possible treatment for kidney stones
Researchers have modified a bacterium to colonise the gut microbiota and treat kidney stones. They genetically engineered Phocaeicola vulgatus to make it able to break down oxalate molecules, a cause of recurrent kidney stones, and consume a specific nutrient called porphyrin. In mice and in preclinical trials in healthy people, this reduces oxalate levels, the authors report in the journal Science.