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Related Concept Videos

Introduction to the Human Microbiota01:22

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

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Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity,...
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Development of Human Microbiota01:30

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The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from...
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Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

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Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.
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Introduction to Microbial Ecology01:28

Introduction to Microbial Ecology

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Microbial ecology examines the complex web of interactions and diversity among microorganisms within various ecosystems. This field seeks to understand how microbial populations adapt to and influence their environments and how these interactions shape broader ecological processes. Microbes are integral to ecosystem function, participating in nutrient cycling, energy flow, and the maintenance of environmental homeostasis.An ecosystem represents a dynamic interaction between living organisms...
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Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

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Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...
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Human Virome01:26

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The human body harbors a vast and diverse viral community known as the human virome. The virome includes bacteriophages that infect bacteria, and eukaryotic viruses that infect human cells. Transient dietary and environmental viruses also contribute to this dynamic ecosystem. Estimates suggest the human body may contain on the order of 10¹³ viral particles, though abundance varies widely by body site and detection method.Comprehensive characterization of the virome has become possible...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems
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Universality of human microbial dynamics.

Amir Bashan1, Travis E Gibson1, Jonathan Friedman2

  • 1Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.

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Human gut and mouth microbiomes show universal ecological dynamics, unlike skin communities. This finding is crucial for developing effective microbiome-based therapies, even after treatments like fecal microbiota transplantation.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Computational biology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Human-associated microbial communities significantly impact health.
  • Microbiome-based therapies, like fecal microbiota transplantation, are under development.
  • High inter-individual variability exists in microbiome composition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if human microbial community dynamics are host-independent (universal) or host-specific.
  • To investigate the implications of host-specific dynamics for microbiome manipulation therapies.
  • To develop a computational method for characterizing human microbial dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a novel computational method to analyze microbial dynamics.
  • Applied the method to cross-sectional metagenomic data from the Human Microbiome Project and Student Microbiome Project.
  • Compared microbial dynamics across different body sites (gut, mouth, skin) and in disease states (C. difficile infection).

Main Results:

  • Gut and mouth microbiomes exhibit universal dynamics.
  • Skin microbiomes show dynamics influenced by host environment differences.
  • Universal gut microbial dynamics were absent in recurrent C. difficile infection but restored post-fecal microbiota transplantation.

Conclusions:

  • Human gut and mouth microbial ecosystems display largely universal ecological dynamics.
  • Skin microbial communities are more influenced by host-specific factors.
  • Understanding these dynamics is key to designing effective, generalizable microbiome therapies.