Lifestyle plays a role in shaping the gut microbiota, including factors such as excessive sanitation and use of antibiotics, especially at early ages, but also diet. These factors shape the microbial composition profile and the gut microbiota that is responsible for the human immune system and metabolism (Leser & Mølbak, 2009). The gut microbiota is potentially capable of conducting chemical conversions that affect the host’s health, psychology, and physiology. According to the Human Microbiome Project Consortium (2012), the human gut microbiota is as active as a liver. Complex polysaccharides and resistant starches come to the colon intact, and the microbiota of the large intestine is able to ferment those food components (Mulle et al., 2013). …show more content…
Understanding how microbes function has changed the approach and resulted in an experimental platform that cultures an entire ecosystem of microbes (Van den Abbeele et al., 2011). However, it is difficult to study in vivo microbe fermented compounds, as the metabolites are affected by the host’s diet, absorbed by the host, altered by other gut microbes, mixed with host-secreted compounds, and not easily connected to their microbial species source. To understand gut microbiota better, the Allen-Vercoe laboratory has developed and validated a chemostat (continuous culture) system to mimic complex gut associated microbial ecosystems (McDonald et al., 2013). The “Robogut” (chemostat) mimics the environment of the distal human colon: 37ºC, pH 7. It is an anaerobic system which is fed mucin and insoluble starch at a constant flow rate, gently and continuously stirred, and held under positive pressure to expel waste at an equal flow rate (McDonald et al., 2013). As it is not ethically acceptable to experiment in vivo on the gut microbiota, fecal donation represents an ethical method for obtaining distal gut microbes, and the chemostat supports the growth of a microbial ecosystem derived from human fecal material. The host immune system, hormones, and nervous systems are absent in the ex vivo platform. Even though it is not possible for the chemostat to perfectly
Jennifer Ackerman's main focus in her article The Ultimate Social Network, is that of the functions concerning bacteria within humans. Although scientists have had presumptions about humans being proficient in governing their body’s innermost structure, they soon come to recognize the sophistication of our inner space which holds an extensive plethora of bacteria and other microorganisms that lie within each and every one of us. Moreover, scientists' new and emerging view of how the human body operates, and the cause of increasing present-day diseases (i.e. obesity and different autoimmune disorders) are uncovered by analyzing effects of certain microbe species in our bodies. By italicizing on points such as the above, in conjunction with bacteria's genetic variations, and modern computing technology, the author proves that scientists are quickly progressing with the characterization the most prevalent species of microbes, which, in her opinion, is definitely paying off.
Although I have never been someone who has taken an interest in reading about nutrition and how it affects our bodies, I really enjoyed the book, Eat Dirt by Josh Axe. The author discusses how he took an interest into leaky gut after his mother was diagnosed with cancer a second time and he created a plan to help her eat healthier in order to improve her health. The plan worked wonders for his mother, although he claims the plan won’t cure her or anyone else in her case it was highly effective. Throughout the book, Axe continues to provide the reader with examples of what his patients have suffered from and how, through changing their eating habits, have improved their lives significantly. After each example of patients, the author informs the reader of what leads to leaky gut and ways to combat it. Each chapter expands on the five ways to combat leaky gut by providing examples on the topics such as, what to eat and what probiotics to take for certain conditions. Throughout his
The gut microbiota obtains its nutrients from various sources such as consumed dietary ingredients and host-derived requirements like epithelial cells and mucus. Microorganisms utilize these substrates to produce energy to modulate cellular processes, metabolism and growth. The gut encompasses pathways for carbohydrate, lipid and amino acid metabolism (6). Interestingly, the gut flora’s metabolic action is both adaptive and renewable. Through the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), B vitamins and vitamin K, commensal bacteria mutualistically interact with intestinal epithelial cells to promote differentiation, proliferation and absorption from the bowel. Jointly, this metabolic mechanism preserves valuable energy and digestible substrates for the host, all while supplying energy and nutrients for growth (9). SCFAs (mainly acetate, butyrate and propionate) are the final products of the carbohydrate fermentation of dietary fibers, and exhibit many positive influences in countering metabolic and inflammatory disorders, for instance, obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease. This is accomplished via the activation of G-protein-coupled receptors and alteration of transcription factors (17, 18). The microbial assembly of SCFAs, TMA, acetaldehyde and inflammatory regulators control the metabolic fitness of the host through pathways that affect gut motility, immune function and satiety (19). An example of a lipid metabolic activity that relates the gut flora to dyslipidemia (excessive amount of lipids) is the hydrolysation of bile salts, which are steroid acids manufactured in the liver from cholesterol and secreted in bile to accelerate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, along with the metabol...
*Rohike, F., & Stollman, N. (2012). Fecal microbiota transplantation in relapsing Clostridium difficile infection. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology. 5 (6), 403-419.
Provide muscle energy, fuel for the nerve system, the fat metabolism and protect the protein to been used as energy
...standing the nature of relationship between the residing microbes inside human cells and about their function is very important to put an end to this war and to live in peace with the natural organisms that are benefitting human body and their survival has become our primary importance.
To understand the human gut health and aetiology, the first step is to understand the gastrointestinal (GI) microflora and its distribution through the digestive system [2]. The human GI tract is inhabited by trillions of microorganisms, which together is known as the microbiota [5]. These microorganisms come from both archeal and bacterial domains. Bacteria are the predominant kingdom of organisms and it is composed mainly by five bacterial phyla: Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia [3]. The great majority of mammalian gut microbiota belongs to the three phyla: the Gram-negative anaerobe Bacteroidetes, the Gram-positive Actinobacteria and Firmicutes [5].
Every human has microbiomes that are personalized for the individual and are extremely important to maintaining a good health standing, however, these microbiomes can be capable of contracting a disease. One of the most common areas for these microbiomes to contract something that could be harmful to the person’s health is called the oral microbiomes, which are found in the mouths of humans. Within the biofilms of the oral cavity, rests these oral microbiomes that maintain a healthy equilibrium in the mouth. However, if not taken care of properly, oral microbiomes can be taken over by a pathogen that can quickly turn the state of the person’s mouth from a healthy equilibrium to a very unhealthy equilibrium (1). Some bacteria found in the oral cavity can be an extremely danger.
Our body consists of 90% of bacteria. That means that for every cell that we have in our body, we have 9 bacterial cells living along with it. Granted that most of the bacteria live inside the intestinal tract, but without a proper immune system keeping the digestive system in check, we would not be properly digesting food or have healthy bodies.
The human microbiome is the collective ensemble of a wide diversity and density of living micro organisms found both in and on the human body. The exploration of this vast ecosystem is an exciting and innovative topic of discussion in recent times. In fact, its relevance has become so important as of late that it has taken its place at the top of 21st century
Dietary Fiber fermentability also varies due to a high diversity in both physical structure and the chemicals bound between monomers found in the digestive tract (Bindelle et al., 2007). Dietary Fiber that escapes digestion in the upper part of the gastro-intestinal tract, is potentially available for bacterial fermentation in the large intestine. The anaerobic bacteria concentration in the pig gastro-intestinal tract passes thus into the stomach and the small intestine to the large intestine. The intestinal bacteria hydrolyse the polysaccharides composing the Dietary Fiber and metabolise their constituent sugars through a series of anaerobic energy-yielding reactions leading to the production of ATP which is essential for bacteria basal and growth metabolism (Bindelle and Buldgen,
Microbes are major key components in both are homes and industrial food preparation. There are number of lactic acid which is a form of bacteria which is a large group of beneficial bacteria used in certain foods while they are getting prepared such as yogurt, cheese, sour cream, butter milk and other type of fermented milk products. Things such as vinegars are produced by bacterial acetic acid fermentation. Yeast is also major use in the making of beer and wine and also for the leaving of breads. This also involves fermentations to convert corn and other vegetable carbohydrates to also make beer, wine or gasohol but also bacteria is the agents of are other foods. Other fermented foods will include things such as soy sauce, olives and cocoa. (Microbes and human life, 2013) Single cell proteins are known as dried cells of microbes which are used in protein supplement shacks. They are also called “novel food” and “minifood”. The production of this requires micro-organisms which then serve as the protein source and then the substrate which is biomass which they grow on them. There are a number of both these sources that we are able to use for the production of single cell protein (SCP). The micro-organisms used belong to the following groups of Algae, Fungi and bacteria. (Slide Share, 2012)
Not enough studies have been done to confirm if feces samples can be a valid representation of the large intestine microbial population. There are vast changes that occur from the stomach to the rectum. This leads to the conclusion that the microbes would also change along the digestive tract. (Dougal et al 2012). Schoster et al. reports that in order to have a positive representation from fecal samples, the microbes must have shed when the sampling took place. It is unknown how often shedding occurs or how often fecal samples should be taken in order to determine the amount of shedding. This pertains to probiotics as well (Schoster et al. 2014). In opposition to those studies, other studies have shown that fecal samples can be a satisfying representation (Costa and Weese 2012). Dougal et al. reported that the feces most closely represented the microbes from the colon, but not the cecum. In this case, feces may not be appropriate to use when deciphering diseases where the cecum needs to be studied. Schoster et al. found that feces best represented the microbes located in the cecum (Schoster et al. 2013). In 2010, Sadet-Bourgeteau et al. conducted a study that showed there was a similarity between the two areas, suggesting that the microbial population does not abruptly change, but changes slowly (Dougal et al. 2012). With so many factors that can change a result, it is difficult to determine the best
Microbes are microscopic life forms, usually too small to be seen by the naked eye. Although many microbes are single-celled, there are also numerous multi-cellular organisms. The human body has 10-100 trillion microbes living on it, making it one giant super-organism. Since the first link between microbes and diseases was made, people have been advised to wash their hands. Scientists, however, have recently started to investigate more closely how the microbes that call the human body home affect our health. While some microbes cause disease, others are more beneficial, working with our bodies in many subtle ways.
Community profiling through massively parallel sequencing is still time consuming and highly technical, therefore is limited to laboratory settings. To implement risk management techniques, candidates from sequencing relating to a high risk of fecal contamination will need to be analyzed through other methods. Quantitative real-time PCR is an attractive application for this as it allows for 96 different reactions to be completed simultaneously within a few hours. If high risk microbial candidates can be identified and established, future work would focus on implementing alternative methods that could be utilized in the food industry.