Table 1.

Hypothetical applications of genetically modified synthetic gut microbiota.

Area	Hypothetical application	Expected benefits
Dysbiosis treatment	Design of gut microbiota compatible with the human colon	Colon mucosa recolonization after dysbiosis caused by disease, chemicals, or stress
Personalized therapy	Design of patient-specific microbiotas based on genome and basal microbiome	Tailored treatments for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or cancer
Therapeutic vehicle	Engineered microbes to produce and release drugs directly in the gut	Controlled release of insulin, antibodies, interleukins, or digestive enzymes
Immune modulation	Stimulating or suppressing immune responses	Prevention of autoimmune diseases or enhancement of cancer immunotherapies
Neuropsychiatry	Modulation of the gut-brain axis via microbial metabolites	Reduction of symptoms in depression, anxiety, autism, or Parkinson's disease
Metabolic diseases	Management of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome	Production of SCFAs, reduction of pro-inflammatory LPS, and improved insulin sensitivity
Infection prevention	Synthetic microbiota competing or inhibiting pathogens	Prevention of microbial pathogen infections
Intestinal detoxification	Degradation of endogenous toxins or xenobiotics	Metabolism of ammonia, oxalate, or toxic drugs like irinotecan
Oncological therapies	Use of strains that activate local immune responses or deliver anti-tumor agents	Support for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in colorectal cancer or melanoma
Personalized prevention	Preventive microbiota for high-risk individuals (e.g., newborns or transplant patients)	Microbiota designed to prevent dysbiosis in premature infants or immunocompromised patients