Lecture 13: Fungi, Metagenomics and Human Microbiome

Metagenomics and the Human Microbiome

• Metagenomics is the analysis of genetic material derived from microbial communities, revealing diversity and metabolic potential of microbial communities.
• Metagenomics is a culture-independent approach, meaning it doesn't require cultivating microorganisms in a laboratory.

The Human Microbiome

• The human microbiome refers to the collection of all microorganisms living in association with the human body, also known as microbiota or microflora.
• The Human Microbiome Project was launched in 2007 by the National Institute of Health to better understand the microbiome's role in human health and disease.

Metagenomic Approach

• Metagenomic studies involve isolating, amplifying, and sequencing SSU rRNA genes from microbial communities.
• This approach is used to define the microbiome, with studies indicating that 500-1000 different species of microbes live in the gut, representing all three domains.

The Gut Microbiome

• The large intestine or colon has the largest microbial community in the body, home to one of the most diverse microbial communities on earth.
• Counts of feces approach 10^12 microbes/gram, with over 1,000 different bacterial species identified in feces.
• The metagenomic profile of colonic bacteria in healthy adults includes two major phyla: 60-80% Firmicutes (gram +) and 20-40% Bacteroidetes (gram -).

Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

• The vagus nerve connects the visceral organs and the brain, serving as an important communication pathway for the gut microbiota to influence the brain and behavior.
• Microbial neurotransmitters, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are chemicals produced by microorganisms that can interact with the nervous systems of host organisms.

Dysbiosis and Disease

• Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the gut microbial community, which has been linked to various health issues, including obesity, type I diabetes, cancer, autism, depression, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
• Factors contributing to dysbiosis include antibiotic use, changes in diet and hygiene, and gain or loss of community members, leading to changes in relative abundance of microbes.
• Manipulation of the microbiome is being explored as a new therapeutic strategy for these diseases.

Metagenomics and the Human Microbiome

• Metagenomics is the analysis of genetic material derived from microbial communities, revealing diversity and metabolic potential of microbial communities.
• Metagenomics is a culture-independent approach, meaning it doesn't require cultivating microorganisms in a laboratory.

The Human Microbiome

• The human microbiome refers to the collection of all microorganisms living in association with the human body, also known as microbiota or microflora.
• The Human Microbiome Project was launched in 2007 by the National Institute of Health to better understand the microbiome's role in human health and disease.

Metagenomic Approach

• Metagenomic studies involve isolating, amplifying, and sequencing SSU rRNA genes from microbial communities.
• This approach is used to define the microbiome, with studies indicating that 500-1000 different species of microbes live in the gut, representing all three domains.

The Gut Microbiome

• The large intestine or colon has the largest microbial community in the body, home to one of the most diverse microbial communities on earth.
• Counts of feces approach 10^12 microbes/gram, with over 1,000 different bacterial species identified in feces.
• The metagenomic profile of colonic bacteria in healthy adults includes two major phyla: 60-80% Firmicutes (gram +) and 20-40% Bacteroidetes (gram -).

Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

• The vagus nerve connects the visceral organs and the brain, serving as an important communication pathway for the gut microbiota to influence the brain and behavior.
• Microbial neurotransmitters, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are chemicals produced by microorganisms that can interact with the nervous systems of host organisms.

Dysbiosis and Disease

• Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the gut microbial community, which has been linked to various health issues, including obesity, type I diabetes, cancer, autism, depression, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
• Factors contributing to dysbiosis include antibiotic use, changes in diet and hygiene, and gain or loss of community members, leading to changes in relative abundance of microbes.
• Manipulation of the microbiome is being explored as a new therapeutic strategy for these diseases.

This quiz covers the final topics of fungi and introduces metagenomics and the human microbiome.