Summary Of Gut Microbiome By Dr. Wendy Garrett

Dr. Wendy Garrett’s talk on the gut microbiome and its connection to disease, and more specifically colon cancer, can be connected to the Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. The variation that lies among the populations of bacteria that live amongst our human cells is tremendous and has evolved to a point of significant diversity. Specifically, the bacteria that lives in our guts has nine different divisions of bacteria. This can be compared to the ocean, which has twelve divisions, and soil, which generally has around twenty. Our gut microbiome provides 10% of our caloric intake, aids in the production of vitamin B, K, biotin, folic acid, and thiamine, and protects our bodies from pathogens. The human body allows for many opportunities for exploitation.

The human gut provides a habitat in which nutrients are constantly being delivered. Bacteria populations, which have sensitive diets, have a unique assemblage that vary through the diets of the animals that the occupy. Bacteria, being unicellular, experience an elevated rate of evolution, due to the increased importance of mutations, and the shorter lifespan of individuals. The increased importance of mutations arises from the smaller gene pool, and increased likelihood of gene expression. The variation that exists between these bacteria in our gut allows for the occupation of these niches, and can be tied to negative effects, like carcinogenesis. Similar to bacteria, cancer also has the ability to evolve. Evolution arises through a process of variation, competition, and natural selection. Cancer facilitates selection of human cells in tumor development through mutation. Different factors that influence cancer promote the evolution of cancer cells, such as smoking, and certain bacteria.