Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

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, and disease...

Development of Human Microbiota

Development of Human Microbiota

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 the skin...

Microbiota of the Large Intestine

Microbiota of the Large Intestine

The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...

Functions of the Gut Microbiota

Functions of the Gut Microbiota

The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...

Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota

Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota

The human gut microbiome includes a diverse array of microbial species, including beneficial commensals and opportunistic pathogens, which interact to support host health. These microbes contribute to essential functions such as nutrient metabolism, immune system modulation, and maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. However, disruptions to this equilibrium—referred to as dysbiosis—can have widespread physiological consequences.Dysbiosis is often characterized by reduced microbial...

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Impact of climate change on parasite infection of an important pollinator depends on host genotypes.

Global change biology·2022

Same author

Sociality and parasite transmission.

Behavioral ecology and sociobiology·2021

Same author

The genomes of Crithidia bombi and C. expoeki, common parasites of bumblebees.

PloS one·2018

Same author

Immune response and gut microbial community structure in bumblebees after microbiota transplants.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2016

Same author

Perspectives on the evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2016

Same author

Insect antimicrobial peptides act synergistically to inhibit a trypanosome parasite.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2026

A Method to Define the Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Colon Microbiome Biodiversity in a Mouse Colon Tumor Model

A Method to Define the Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Colon Microbiome Biodiversity in a Mouse Colon Tumor Model

Published on: February 28, 2018

Host effects on microbiota community assembly.

Kathrin Näpflin¹, Paul Schmid-Hempel¹

¹Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

The Journal of Animal Ecology

|October 13, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Host selection shapes bumblebee gut microbes, influencing parasite resistance. Bumblebee gut microbial community assembly depends on both host genetics and environmental microbial exposure.

Keywords:

16S community assembly community ecology host-microbiota host-parasite insects microbiome

More Related Videos

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

Published on: July 31, 2019

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Published on: August 23, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

A Method to Define the Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Colon Microbiome Biodiversity in a Mouse Colon Tumor Model

A Method to Define the Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Colon Microbiome Biodiversity in a Mouse Colon Tumor Model

Published on: February 28, 2018

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

Published on: July 31, 2019

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Published on: August 23, 2019

Area of Science:

Microbiome research
Insect microbiology
Host-microbe interactions

Background:

The assembly of host-associated microbiota is influenced by host selection versus random chance.
Understanding host selection's role is crucial for microbiome research, particularly in ecologically relevant species.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the extent to which host selection shapes the gut microbial community in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris).
To determine the relative importance of host colony identity versus a global microbial pool in microbiota assembly.

Main Methods:

Germ-free bumblebee workers from 10 distinct colonies were exposed to a "global" microbial species pool.
Microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S amplicon sequencing.

Main Results:

Microbiota composition in pool-exposed workers differed from naturally acquired microbiota.
Specific microbial community composition was influenced by the bumblebee colony's genetic background.
Host colony identity played a role in filtering the microbial species pool.

Conclusions:

Host selection significantly influences gut microbiota assembly in bumblebees.
Variation in microbial community filtering affects host resistance to parasites.
This study provides insights into host-microbe co-evolutionary dynamics.