L10- Human Microbiome Flashcards
1
Q
What is the microbiota?
A
The mixture of microbes at different locations in the body
2
Q
What is the microbiome?
A
The microbiota and their products and the hosts products
3
Q
How is RNA sequencing used to identify microorganisms?
A
Take a sample from the human body, identify the DNA in it, sequence the ribosomal genes and use them to identify the organisms that live there
• Culture free methodology
4
Q
What factors determine association of microbes with the body?
A
- Nutritional determinants
- Physiochemical factors
- ‘Exposure’ to microbes
- Host immune response factors
5
Q
What are nutritional determinants?
A
- Carbon
- Nitrogen
- Sodium
- Oxygen
- Hydrogen
- Calcium
6
Q
What are siderophores?
A
- High affinity, iron binding compounds
- Various versions
- All operate in broadly the same way
- In both gram +ve and gram -ve bacterial species
7
Q
What are the physiochemical factors?
A
- Temperature mostly 37 degrees
- pH varies widely
- Redox potential of environment
- Atmosphere e.g O2 content
- Water activities
- Salinity
8
Q
How do microbes enter infant body systems?
A
- Maternal sources (birth canal)
- Breast milk
- Environment
9
Q
How does colonisation and succession of microbes occur at birth?
A
- At birth vertically transmitted microbes are primary microbial colonisers
- These grow and alter local conditions
- This provides suitable conditions for secondary colonisers
- These species further change situations until a climax community is established
