The gut microbiome's potential to influence arsenic exposure

More than 200 million people around the world are exposed to unsafe levels of the environmental toxicant, arsenic. Both acute and chronic exposures, primarily through contaminated drinking water, are significant public health concerns. Human genetics does not fully explain observed arsenic-related diseases (arsenicosis), suggesting that other factors such as the microbiome play important roles in determining risk following exposure. Microorganisms have evolved diverse pathways for mitigating the toxic effects of arsenic, which may theoretically increase or decrease human arsenicosis by altering toxicity. Here, we review the current state-of-the-art regarding the genetic potential of microorganisms to influence arsenic toxicity, drawing particular attention to microbial arsenic biotransformation.