The crucial role of inflammasome components in the impairments of the gut microbiota composition is also suggested by recent studies demonstrating that NLRP3 inflammasome regulates the gastrointestinal microbiome and can thereby affect host susceptibility to diseases beyond the gastrointestinal tract, including obesity and diabetes. The gene discussed is NLRP3; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.