Gut Microbiome Profiles in Colorectal Cancer Patients in Iraq

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This study has examined gut microbiome profiles in colorectal cancer (CRC) patient’s vs Healthy in Iraq using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequencing on Illumina NovaSeq (PE250-Seq). The results indicated that CRC patients exhibited a marked reduction in Bacteroidota and an increase in Verrucomicrobiota compared to healthy controls. In addition, diversity analyses further indicated decreased α-diversity and distinct β-diversity patterns in CRC patients and this suggesting significant shifts in gut microbial composition.

These promising results underscore the potential of microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics strategies, with microbial alterations serving as biomarkers for CRC diagnosis. The experimental design is correct and the results are perfectly discussed.

The paper is well written and merits publication in Applied Microbiology.

Reviewer 2 Report

This paper represents one more study on alterations in gut microbiota in colon cancer patients in comparison to healthy controls. The authors confirmed many previous studies showing very similar changes in composition of the gut microbiota in CC patients. The value of the paper is in localization of the study in a country in which dietary habits are certainly different from standard European or American diet. This findings may confirm that the alterations in gut microbiota are independent from diet. The paper is well planned and its methodology and presentation is on a good level. What is striking is that the entire study had not been supported from any external sources. The reviewer has no detailed comments or suggestions.