The present group of articles on the genetic basis of common diseases inaugurates a new policy on the part of the editors of the Proceedings. The editors plan to present a series of written minisymposia on dynamic and emerging areas of research of interest to broad groups of readers. We will solicit and present groups of interrelated articles by leading authorities and contributors describing t...

Microbiota represents the entire microbial community present in the gut host. It serves several functions establishing a mutualistic relation with the host. Latest years have seen a burst in the number of studies focusing on this topic, in particular on intestinal diseases. In this scenario, Proteobacteria are one of the most abundant phyla, comprising several known human pathogens. This review...