Gut Microbiome

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

Zhang et.al. did a study with the aim of assessing the relative contributions of host genetics and diet in shaping the gut microbiota and modulating metabolic syndrome related phenotypes. They fed wild type mice C57BL/6J) and Apoa-1 knockout mice normal chow or a high fat diet (HFD) for 25 weeks. The knock out mice had impaired glucose tolerance and high body fat at baseline. They measured food intake and body weight evert 2 weeks and measured glucose tolerance and gut microbiota composition and population at baseline and at the end of the intervention at 25 weeks. According to their findings the wild type mice that were fed a high fat diet gained the most weight followed by the gene Apoa knockout mice. The same results were also seen for glucose tolerance test with the wild type mice on a high fat diet showing a larger spike in blood glucose. Significant differences in microbial composition was seen between animals on different diets rather than animals with genetic differences. HFD eliminated bifidobacteria and increased the abundance of endotoxin producing desulfovibrionaceae. Diet differences accounted for

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

For this experiment students asked the question of what were the effects of a high-fat diet on the integrated physiology of male Sprague Dawley rats. They studied two groups of rats that were either feed a lean diet or a high fat westernized diet and used integrative physiology to see the effects that the westernized diet had on the rat’s physiological mechanisms and structures. Students hypothesized that the rats fed the high fat westernized diet would have a higher body weight, higher fat storage in the omental and peritoneal regions, higher liver weight, higher levels of glucose, increased insulin, a higher leptin content, and slower gut motility. To measure the weight of the rats, students collected the weight of both rats on the different diets. Students performed dissections on fresh rats to obtain all peritoneal and omental weight to determine if

Mullin in this article discussed correlation of diet, gut flora, and weight. Standard American diet (SAD) that is a high fat and carbohydrates, and low fiber diet negatively affects gut microbiota. Avoiding inflammatory fat and decreasing sugar intake helps to good bacteria to grow more in the intestine. According to Mullin, when a person cut back the SAD gut start to fertilize more normal flora that will help in losing weight (p. 161). The overgrown bad gut microbitas produce more harmful byproducts that can increase intestine inflammation, promote fat accumulation in the stomach area, and increase insulin resistance (p.

Scientists are beginning to recognize the link between gut microbiota and inflammation and the role it plays in the pathogenesis of obesity-related disorders like diabetes (type two). Using animals, scientists have been able to link obesity models of a microbiota composition that is different than what is expected when observed for obesity development and insulin resistance. This means that this altered microbiota composition is linked to the development of obesity and insulin resistance. This can be seen through multiple mechanisms, including “increased energy harvest from the diet, altered fatty acid metabolism and composition in adipose tissue and liver, modulation of the gut peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 secretion, activation of the lipopolysaccharide toll-like receptor-4 axis, and modulation of the intestinal barrier integrity by GLP-2”. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms that regulate gut microbiota compositions that produce these various compositions. During infancy, several factors that can affect the gut microbiota include delivery mode, type of feeding, hospitalization, and possible prematurity. The use of antibiotics and the infant’s diet are also becoming increasingly recognized as factors that can affect one’s susceptibility to developing type two diabetes. The typical Western diet has played a significant role in

One study showed gut bacteria may help with the development of insulin resistance. It also supported a connection between diabetes and gut bacteria. Ongoing research is being done to find out if a person's gut bacteria is related to insulin resistance and diabetes and how it works.

In one cohort, the mice consumed either a high-fat diet ad-lib or a 9- or 12-hour high-fat diet TRF for 12 weeks. In another cohort, the groups included a high-fat diet ad-lib and a 15-hour high-fat diet TRF group for 8 weeks. All diets were isocaloric and the high-fat diets consisted of 62% fat. The body weight gain of the 9-hour high-fat diet TRF (26%), 12-hour high-fat diet TRF, and 15-hour high-fat diet TRF (43%) groups were significantly less than the high-fat diet ad-lib (65%) group. Moro and colleagues and Belkacemi et al. had similar

Gut microbiota changes in our body from birth to old age. The fetal intestinal tract is sterile until birth, after which the newborn tract begins to be colonized. Infants are exposed to a great variety of microorganisms from different environments during and immediately after birth, either in their encounter with their maternal vagina or by the cutaneous microorganisms depending on the type of delivery. Infants have lower intestinal bacteria counters with less diversity in the early weeks of life. Different method of feeding influences the microbiota. Until 2-3 years old, microbiota become similar to the adult microbiota. After that, it becomes stable until old age. Genetic factors such as obesity influence the development of gut microbiota.

According to the hot lens, Yong’s article, “Gut bacteria in Japanese people borrowed sushi-digesting genes from ocean bacteria” is a quite decent article. However, in just the second paragraph of the article it seems a little exaggerated from him because he says that, “The genes are wielded by the hordes of bacteria lurking in the guts of every Japanese person, but not by those in American intestines.” (p. 1), he claims that “every” Japanese person has this type of organism. This is a pretty strong statement he makes about all Japanese people having this complex breaking down organism.

A microbiome is a community of microorganism that exist in a certain environment. Looking at gut microbiomes in particular, it has long been established that gut microbiome varies drastically from individual to individual due to differences in diet, genetic factors and environment. The organisms that exist in a gut microbiome within a certain organism plays many roles, such as aiding with food digestion, gut barrier function and wound recovery. While diet has been believed to play a large factor in internal microbiome composition, we do not have the evidence to support this fully. Thus using non-human model organisms could help address the question at hand by altering diets and looking at subsequent microbiomes. In this case, we used black

The research article, The intestinal microbiota: its role in health and disease, explores the importance and impact of microbiota for health and disease. Additionally,

The abstract on, Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behavior, gut microbiota has been a major interest in biology in the resent years. The studies of gut microbiota have been showing variations and changes in the influence of normal physiology and diseases from inflammation to obesity. Data collected on the gut microbiota says it communicates with the central nervous system (CNS), through neural, endocrine and immune pathways; this in turn influences brain function and behavior. Cryan, J.F. and Dinan, T.G., studied on animals’ that were germ-free and exposed to pathogenic bacteria had a role for the gut microbiota with anxiety, mood, cognition and pain through probiotic bacteria or antibiotic drugs.

butyrate. In this context, the most abundant SCFA is butyrate (C4), followed by acetate (C2)

A human body contains bacteria that have varying impacts on people's health. Some of these bacteria are known to cause diseases and are found naturally in the body, or enter the body from the foods partaken by the humans. Contrary to these harmful disease-causing bacteria is the Probiotics. According to Liong, (2011) these are live in human gut bacteria and yeasts and have an important role in ensuring that the human body stays healthy. Probiotic bacteria reproduce asexually, by budding or binary fission. These bacteria have effective adaptive mechanisms on their host through the production of extracellular proteins. The extracellular proteins also aid in adherence and communication by these bacteria.