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Researchers have reportedly mapped 500 previously unknown microorganisms in human intestinal flora and 800 also unknown bacterial viruses who attack intestinal bacteria.

For mapping the microorganisms, researchers developed a new principle for analyzing DNA sequence data. The principle basically assumes that different pieces of DNA from the same organism will occur in the same amount of a sample and that this amount will vary over a series of samples. 

"Using our method, researchers are now able to identify and collect genomes from previously unknown microorganisms in even highly complex microbial societies. This provides us with an overview we have not enjoyed previously," said Professor Søren Brunak who has co-headed the study together with Associate Professor Henrik Bjørn Nielsen, in the press release.

Up until now, 200-300 intestinal bacterial species have been mapped. Researchers believe the increase in numbers could significantly improve our understanding and treatment of  large number of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, asthma and obesity.

The study also analyzed the mutual relation between bacteria and viruses. 

"Our study tells us which bacterial viruses attack which bacteria, something which has a noticeable effect on whether the attacked bacteria will survive in the intestinal system in the long term," said Henrik Bjørn Nielsen in the press release. 

"We have previously been experimenting with using bacteria and viruses to fight disease, but this was shelved because antimicrobial agents have been so effective in combating many infectious diseases. If we can learn more about who attacks who, then bacterial viruses could be a viable alternative to antimicrobial agents. It is therefore extremely important that we now can identify and describe far more relations between bacteria and the viruses that attack them," added Henrik Bjørn Nielsen.

Findings of the research will be published in Nature Biotechnology.