Gut Microbiome

Shortly after birth, a baby’s stomach is lined with intestinal bacteria called microbiota, and it’s supposed to remain there for the rest of this organism’s life span. In humans lower intestines there are billions of bacteria with almost 2000 different species that are

There are major effects in the United States and Europe to help identify the role of microbial communities in the human body. The colon requires a balance of microbial agents that assist with various functions of the body. An imbalance can lead to C.diff., irritable bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), neurological disorders, and obesity just to list a few. Many of these problems have grown to an epidemic proportion. Both the United States and Europe have started projects aimed at the microbial communities of the body and their roles in our health.

Unique microbiota could suggest a human’s current health or if there is any forthcoming chronic disease (Ley, 2006). Families with shared healthy microbes may be able to help relatives who suffer from gastrointestinal disease; but the extant to which the microbiome is shared across generations is not readily known and more research is needed. The core trends for current research revolve around control of obesity, treatment of gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s, and hormonal manipulation in cases of depression. It is imperative to learn to eat for optimal health, to evolve along with the commensals (Turner et al., 2013) as human diets influence diversity of microbes present (Ley et al., 2008). This is a relatively new field with exciting prospects of positive outcomes for some of society’s more chronic

The effect of different diets on the gut microbiome has been studied greatly in mice and to a lesser extent in humans to assess the effect that dietary composition has on the gut micro-biome. It has been suggested that increased efficiency of energy harvest due to changes in the gut microbiota with an increase in Firmicutes and decrease Bacteroidetes bacteria, occurs in obesity in mice and humans.4 A study performed by Murphy et al looked at the effect of a high-fat (HF) diet and genetic obesity (ob/ob) for changes in gut microbiota and the amount of energy harvested from food over time.4 Ob/ob mice were fed a low-fat diet and wild-type mice were fed either a low-fat or HF-diet for 8 weeks. Results indicated an increase in Firmicutes bacteria in both mice fed a HF diet as well as ob/ob mice, but Firmicutes bacteria did not change over time in the lean control mice. A reduction in Bacteroidetes bacteria was also found in ob/ob mice.4

Apart from environmental factors, the microbiome composition also relies on the diet of the hosts. Studies have shown that host lineages that share a similar gut physiology and diet tend to have the same gut microbiome [1]. These studies were initially performed on apes to study their phylogeny. However, due to the complexity and the diversity of the mammalian gut microbes, the studies were more focused on insects like flies, beetles and ants [1].

The use of the first form of microbe-based therapeutics, probiotics, is beneficial for preventing disease. These live microorganisms are known to strengthen the equilibrium of the gut flora by the development of healthy gut

One of the most beautiful things that the female human body can do is birth another human . As the expectant mother waits for her offspring(s) to be born she begins to weigh out her birthing options, deciding between either a vaginal birth or a surgical delivery by Caesarean section. Though many go for the natural route and decide to deliver naturally many opt to do cesarean usually by doctors’ orders. This big decision can have a lot of long lasting effects on the child, as a majority of our needed gut microbiome bacteria is from our mothers during birth. Lets way out the pros and cons of this life altering decision by talking about the microbes involved in both delivery options.

We know currently essential information about microbiomes to help us understand the human body a little better. The skin, mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, gut, and vagina are composed of microbial communities. Collectively, the gut has the most information. Information pertaining to these body parts however, are limited simply because each individual is unique This makes each body just as unique as the person. (The Scientist Staff) It is in still in question whether we are functionally redundant between community members, and what kind of factors are influencing this. (Turnbaugh)

Gut microbiota has a regulatory effect in intestinal and extra-intestinal homeostasis, and may also have a regulatory role on brain and behavior. Evidence from animal models suggests an association between disturbances in gut microbiota composition and neurophysiological disorders. There appears to be an emerging concept that the circadian rhythm and gut microbiota influence epigenetic regulation taking part in neuronal cell function. [1] Figure 1 A study of the salivary microbiome provides evidence that the host regulates the composition of this microbiome through genes participating in global regulation of circadian rhythm.

The article’s main focus was on the gut microbiome, whilst incorporating its relevance to precision medicine. By analyzing the microbiomes composition and function, the near future could include personalized patient-specific diagnostics and therapeutics. Microbiome research entails the complex ecosystem of microorganisms who reside on or within the human body whose genome outnumbers that of the host and effects physiological functions. Though this research marks progression, there are limitations and challenges presented by the fact that there is variability among individuals. Overall, the research concerning the second genome, or gut microbiome, is altering medicine for the better.

Horses are monogstric animals with a relatively small stomach. From the horse’s mouth to their large intestine, their gastrointestinal tract is similar to that of a human’s. However, past the cecum, a horse’s gastrointestinal tract has more similarities to that of a cow’s (Bentz, 2014). Horses are classified as hindgut fermenters, meaning a balance of good and bad bacteria aid in the digestion of foodstuff in the cecum and large intestine (Costa et al., 2012). The hindgut is not only a fermentation vat, but it also stimulates the immune response, protects against pathogens, production and neutralization of toxins, and gene expression in the host’s epithelial tissues (Milinovich et al., 2010). The cecal microbiome

In this paper, researchers analyzed the relationship between Hominid host species and their gut microbial communities, addressing the evolution of this essential symbiotic relationship. Specifically, the researchers studied the variation and distribution of gut microbiota within great ape species. The main goal of the article was to test the hypothesis that questions what factor of a host species (i.e. diet, geographic location, or phylogeny) most significantly shapes the host's gut microbiota; an important component of the health and physiology of the host. The experiment was conducted by analyzing the gut microbiota and genomic sequences of five great ape species (i.e. Homo sapiens, Gorilla gorilla, G. beringei, Pan troglodytes, and P. paniscus).

The human microbiome is the genetic material of the microbes that live inside and on the human body. Microbes are microscopic organisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. One’s diet and environmental factors can affect the composition of the microbiome. There is a high concentration of microbes in the gut, particularly inside the large intestine. The microbiome does many different things. It helps to digest our food, regulate our immune system, produce vitamins, protect against bad bacteria, and is essential for human development. Recent studies suggest that the microbiome also has an impact on the brain and emotional behavior. Interactions between the host and its microbiome are complex and bidirectional.

The diversity of our microbiota, gut bacteria, is a hot topic for advancing research right now. Recent scientific and technological advances, microbiomes are the newest craze regarding “gut-science”

The immune system is a complex network of innate and adaptive compartments that work together in order to protect and fight against pathogenic invaders. The immune system also acts as a regulator of host homeostasis in order to ensure that the body is operating under optimal conditions. The composition of microbiota is associated with the adaptive and innate immune systems, which work together in order to maintain a constant relationship between the increasingly different microbiota and pathogens found within our body.