Host microbiome and genomes Flashcards
What is the genome?
Coding and noncoding DNA
What is the mitochondrial genome?
single circular chromosome
Mitochondria divide by binary fission
Describe maternal inheritance of the mitochondria
Mitochondria usually comes from eggs only
Mitochondria from sperm enters egg but does not contribute genetic info to embryo
What is a microbiome?
combined genetic material of the micoorganisms in an environment
What is microbiota/microflora?
combined microorganisms in an environment
What is metagenomics?
Study of the structure and function of entire nucleotide sequences in a bulk sample
Describe how the microbiome is dynamic and host dependent
Microbiome reflects host and their biology
Reflects what is present e.g., virulence genes, antibiotic resistance genes
Reflects changes to host biology
Describe how the microbiome is dynamic and niche dependent
Microbiome varies depending on micro-environments
e.g., different points in intestines, skin areas
Describe how the microbiome is dynamic and dependent on host age
Microbiome changes during development
Describe how the microbiome changes due to external factors
Stress - some hormones directly affect specific bacteria
Diet/nutrition
Antibiotics - removing commensal bacteria excluders may allow less desirable bacteria to grow
Give an example of how antibiotics can lead to detrimental effects on the microflora of the gut
Penicillin in rabbits knocks down some bacteria allows Clostridium pririform to grow and cause gastritis
what is the coding region of a gene
portion of DNA or RNA that is composed of exons
what are the applications of PCR and qPCR (quantitative)
Pathogen detection
Quantification of gene expression
Detection of gene mutations
