The Microbiota and Transgenomic Networks: Potential Implications for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

The maternal microbiota has long been considered a potential cause for adverse perinatal outcomes. Gene expression regulators in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are influenced by changes in their microenvironments. We propose the novel idea that during in utero development, an adaptive and dynamic gene-regulatory cross talk might exist between the host genome and the maternal microbiota. Understanding these cross talks could increase the appreciation for the discovery of new diagnostics and therapeutics in maternal-fetal medicine.