Contrasting Strategies: Human Eukaryotic Versus Bacterial Microbiome Research

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Human Microbiome Research
• Eukaryotic Microbiology

Background:

• Human microbiome research predominantly focuses on bacteria.
• Eukaryotic microbiome research is less developed but holds unique potential.
• Existing bacterial microbiome research presents interpretation challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the development and distinctiveness of human eukaryotic microbiome research.
• To compare eukaryotic microbiome research with established bacterial microbiome research.
• To identify and address challenges in interpreting eukaryotic microbiome data.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of eukaryotic microbiome studies (578 papers).
• Analysis of trends in human-based microbiome literature.
• Comparative analysis between eukaryotic and bacterial human microbiome research.

Main Results:

• Overview of the eukaryotic microbiome literature landscape.
• Identification of trends and convergence/divergence points between eukaryotic and bacterial fields.
• Highlighting interpretation issues such as disease causality and interventions.

Conclusions:

• Eukaryotic microbiome research offers distinct insights beyond bacterial studies.
• Addressing interpretation challenges early is crucial for scientific progress.
• Constructive suggestions are provided for advancing human eukaryotic microbiome research.