Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?

Mohamed Sabry Mohamed Sarhan; Giacomo Antonello; H Weissensteiner; C Mengoni; Deborah Mascalzoni; L Waldron; N Segata; Christian Fuchsberger

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.023

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Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?

Journal article

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Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?

Mohamed Sabry Mohamed Sarhan, Giacomo Antonello, H Weissensteiner, C Mengoni, Deborah Mascalzoni, L Waldron, N Segata and Christian Fuchsberger

Cell, Vol.188(10), pp.2561-2566

188

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.03.023

Handle:

https://hdl.handle.net/10863/47009

Abstract

Human DNA is unavoidably present in metagenomic analyses of human microbiomes. While current protocols remove human DNA before submission to public repositories, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been overlooked and frequently persists. We discuss the privacy risks and research opportunities associated with mtDNA, urging consideration by the scientific, ethics, and legal communities.

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Title: Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?
Creators: Mohamed Sabry Mohamed Sarhan - Institute for Biomedicine
Giacomo Antonello - Institute for Biomedicine
H Weissensteiner
C Mengoni - University of Trento
Deborah Mascalzoni - Institute for Biomedicine
L Waldron - University of Trento
N Segata - University of Trento
Christian Fuchsberger - Institute for Biomedicine
Publication Details: Cell, Vol.188(10), pp.2561-2566
ISSN: 0092-8674
EISSN: 1097-4172
Series / Volume: 188
Publisher: Elsevier
Identifiers: (EURAC)30366511
991007045752001241
Web of Science ID: WOS:001493815200001
Academic Unit: Institute for Biomedicine
Institute for Mummy Studies
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article
Description coverage: international
Description audience: Scientific
Local Fields: Scientific
Author Names String: Sarhan MS, Antonello G, Weissensteiner H, Mengoni C, Mascalzoni D, Waldron L, Segata N, Fuchsberger C

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Human mitochondrial DNA in public metagenomes: Opportunity or privacy threat?

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