Microbiome

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Microbiome Types - Definition and Examples

1. Microorganisms

Microscopic organisms, invisible to the naked eye, that are found everywhere.

We can find them in the soil, on the ocean floor, and even in human intestines.

We often associate microbes with harmful organisms, such as pathogens.

These are microorganisms that cause diseases in humans, animals, plants and other living things.

However, even within these larger organisms are microorganisms that are essential for life and well-being.

2. What is the microbiome?

A microbiome refers to a community of microorganisms that occupy a specific habitat.

When we talk about the microbiome, we need to consider not only the types of microorganisms, but also their activity.

This refers to the way they interact with each other and their surrounding environment.

In this way, the microbiome is a dynamic microecosystem , encompassing the diverse genomes and metabolites of the microbial community, as well as the prevailing environmental conditions to which they are exposed.

It is integrated into complex macroecosystems, such as in humans.

We often refer to the gut microbiome as the microbiome of the human intestines.

This microecosystem of the gut is part of the body's broader ecosystem.

3. What is microbiota?

Microbiota is a similar term, but should not be confused with the microbiome.

The microbiota is the totality of microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, unicellular algae, or fungi, that live in a given environment.

The difference between microbiota and microbiome is that the latter term takes into account the interactions between organisms and the environment, i.e., the microbiome includes the microbiota and its activity.

4. The human microbiome

The human microbiome varies from individual to individual.

Bacterial communities depend on many factors, such as humidity, temperature, and nutrients, which determine their survival.

Similarly, bacterial colonization occurs throughout a person's entire life cycle.

The communities present in a newborn will not be the same as those in an adult, due to differences in age, diet, hormonal development, sexual maturity, and many other factors.

The microbiome can be altered by medication (e.g. antibiotics), dietary changes, stress, and many other factors.

There are diseases that can result from an imbalance in the microbiome.

Examples include diabetes , allergies, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, and even cancer.

Some of the functions of the microbiome in the human body are as follows:

• Digestion

Bacteria present in the gut microbiome help break down complex carbohydrates found in plant cell walls, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. Therefore, they can aid in digestion.

• Immune system

Bacteria can signal to lymphocytes which cells are helpful and which are harmful (antigens), thus determining which of them will be dominant in a given environment.

• Protection against pathogens

Bacteria present in the microbiome of the skin, oral cavity, respiratory tract, and vagina act as physical and chemical barriers to protect mucous membranes from the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.

5. Soil and plant microbiome

An example of one type of microbiome is the rhizosphere microbiome.

The definition of the rhizosphere is the part of the soil that is in the immediate vicinity of the plant roots.

Numerous soil microbiota interactions occur in this area.

Another example is the phyllosphere.

This is where communities of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, develop and interact on the plant's above-ground surface.

Examples of such plant microbiomes may serve the following functions:

• Nutrient cycling

Through processes such as mineralization, immobilization, and dissolution, microorganisms provide nutrients that plants can utilize.

• Plant growth

Microorganisms produce substances such as gibberellins and auxins that stimulate plant growth.

• Protection

The microbial community protects plant roots from pathogens by producing antibiotics and can also detoxify toxic substances secreted by some plants that can be harmful to other organisms.

• Symbiosis

Microorganisms can form a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with plants, promoting their growth and development.

• Damage control

For example, microbiomes in soil and associated with plants can help treat contaminated soils and waters, improving their quality in the process.

6. Marine microbiome

The oceans are home to a wide variety of microorganisms that associate with different hosts, forming diverse microbiomes.

The occurrence of microbiomes ranges from invertebrates, such as sea sponges, to large vertebrates, such as sharks.

We present some examples of microbiomes in aquatic ecosystems and their functions:

• Nutrient cycling and storage

Research shows that the microbiomes of marine sponges contribute to the cycling of nutrients, such as nitrogen, in the oceans.

These and other organisms are also able to store nutrients, such as phosphorus, in the form of phosphates.

They also perform another essential function, which involves converting dissolved carbon emitted by other organisms into organic carbon, which remains available to heterotrophic organisms.

• Defense

Various marine organisms, such as corals, have bacteria living in their surface layers that produce antibacterial compounds. In this way, they protect against possible infections.

In the case of cetaceans, such as killer whales, the microbiome on their skin acts as a physical barrier to protect the animal from the external environment.

This is an indicator not only of your health, but also of the health of the environment.

In this article, we could only talk about microbiomes in general terms.

But if we've piqued your interest, this work goes into detail about the human microbiome: The Longevity Paradox .

If you only read one book about healthy eating, this should be it!

Diets, microbiome, diabetes

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