FP - Microbiomes in Health and Disease

Question 1

How have humans co-evolved with microbes?

Answer 1

• Microbes live in and on us
• We rely on microbes for functions that we do not encode in the human genome

Question 2

What are 4 organisms which exist in a microbiome?

Answer 2

1. Bacteria
2. Archaea
3. Eukarya
4. Viruses

Question 3

What is a human microbiome?

Answer 3

A characteristic microbial community that lives in and on the human body

Question 4

Where are the 5 most common places microbes are found?

Answer 4

1. Mouth
2. Nose
3. Skin
4. Urogenital tract
5. Gastrointestinal tract

Question 5

When do microbiomes first form?

Answer 5

The moment we are born

• The foetus is mostly sterile

Question 6

How do microbiomes differ depending on how the baby is born?

Answer 6

• Babies born by vaginal delivery have microbiomes that resemble their mother’s vaginal microbiomes
• Babies born by C-section have less diverse microbiomes and these resemble their mother’s skin microbiome

Question 7

At what age does the microbiome’s diversity resemble that of an adult?

Answer 7

3 years old

Question 8

What is the most highly heritable taxon?

Answer 8

Christensenellaceae

Question 9

What causes Lactase Non-Persistance (LNP) individuals?

Answer 9

The ability to digest lactose declines rapidly after birth because of decreasing levels of the enzyme lactase

Question 10

What is it called when populations have evolved to express the lactase enzyme beyond infancy

Answer 10

Lactase Persistence (LP)

Question 11

What type of bacteria has high levels in LNP individuals?

Answer 11

Bifidobacteria