China’s new secret weapon in biotech race: Tibet animal poop with newfound germs

Hidden in the frozen highlands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau – often called the “Third Pole” – lies an unexpected trove of biological innovation: animal poop.

Chinese scientists have discovered that the faeces of yaks, Tibetan sheep, antelope and other native herbivores harbour thousands of previously unknown microbial species, some of which could be game changers for biotechnology.

They include novel strains that have the potential to degrade cellulose – used for paper, cardboard and clothing – and other strains that could help reduce methane emissions from livestock production.

The researchers also said the genomic data could support the potential development of novel gene-editing tools, antimicrobial peptides and other biotechnology products.

“Our results showed that animals living in harsh environments are promising sources for the discovery of novel biological functions of gut-residing microbes,” they wrote in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Microbiome this month.

“Our study presents the first blueprint of the gut microbiota of native mammals at the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, termed the Third Pole.