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They cannot be detected by our eyes, but there are microbes in us, on us, and all around us. The extent to which these microbes influence our lives is beginning to be fully understood by scientists. The following is a few recent highlights of this exciting area of science.,
Microbes Move When You Do
A study was published recently that showed what happened when scientist chronicled microbes associate with seven families. They swabbed the noses, feet, and hands of each member of the family, including pets, over a six week period.,
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Samples were also collected from light switches, doorknobs, and flat surfaces in the home. Scientists were able to identify a distinct microbial community that originated from each of the family members. They could also match a person to the home they lived in by the microbial profiles present in the home.,
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Three of the seven families changed their place of residence during the study and their microbes needed only a day to settle into their new home.,
Microbes Can Identify Criminals
A couple of recent findings suggest microbes can become an important aspect of crime scene investigation in the future. One discovery is that the microbes associated with human cadavers evolve in a way that helps to pinpoint a time of death. Scientists also say bacteria from pubic hair may provide the identity of sex criminals in the absence of DNA.,
Gut Bacteria Passed Through Genes
Your genetic makeup is at least partially responsible for the bacteria in your gut. Scientists examined the fecal matter from more than 400 identical twins. The study demonstrated that twins possessed more similar communities of gut microbes than people who did not share identical DNA. Additionally, some bacteria types seemed especially susceptible to influence from host genetics.,
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Christensenellaceae is a highly heritable type of bacteria that is more likely to exist in the gut of lean individuals than those who are overweight. This leads to the conclusion that gut bacteria is one way in which genetics influence the chance of obesity.,
Fecal Transplants May Be Unnecessary
Clostridium Difficile is a bacteria that can cause serious illness. It also results in 14,000 deaths in the U.S. alone each year. In most cases, other bacteria in the gut can keep these dangerous bacteria from causing harm. But C. Diff can begin to dominate the gut environment when a serious infection takes place.,
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Fecal transplants are one way of dealing with an infection of this type. This involves transplanting fecal matter from a healthy individual into the infected individual. Recent research suggests that capsules could be developed containing bacteria from healthy samples of stool to treat C. Diff infections.,
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An even simpler way of dealing with C. Diff and other harmful bacteria in the gut is to abstain from eating sugar. According to this article from Microbe Formulas, the parasites and other bad microbes in your body cannot,
survive without sugar. If you stop eating sugar, the parasites can’t reproduce. However, the healthy microbes in your body will flourish in the body when you avoid consuming sugar.,
Yeast Is For Fruit Flies
The yeast used to make beer provides beer drinkers with an assortment of aromas and tastes they love. However, the yeast did not evolve to serve this purpose. Instead, the yeast is attempting to attract fruit flies and catch a ride.,
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When scientists increased the prevalence of the ATF1 gene, the yeast used in the study attracted many more fruit flies than normal. When the ATF1 gene was minimized, no fruit flies paid attention to the yeast. Scientists believe yeast will use fruit flies to find a new environment when their present environment is no longer viable.,
Cheese Rinds Are Home To Microbial Diversity
Just a crumb of cheese rind can host 10 billion microbial cells. This fungus and bacteria are responsible for turning ordinary milk into something flavorful. Not much is known regarding these microbes despite the fact, growers of cheese rinds have been manipulating the microbes for years.,
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Over the past year, a large scale study was conducted on the microbial diversity of cheese. One hundred thirty-seven different kinds of cheese from ten nations around the world were observed. The finding is communities of microbes are different with each type of cheese. They also found that where the cheese was made did not greatly affect the microbial community of the cheese.,
The Microbiome Could Produce Drugs
The bacteria in and on the human body produce a number of molecules. Some of these molecules can be used to make drugs that are beneficial to humans. A September report chronicled how scientists instructed a computer to locate genes that are able to make drug-like molecules. Next, they allowed the computer to sift through data mined from the human microbiome. Thousands of potentially helpful compounds were identified.,
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One of these candidate compounds, Lactobacillus Gasseri, is common in the vagina and was purified to produce an antibiotic drug by the name of lactocillin. In experiments, lactocillin demonstrated the ability to kill harmless bacteria while sparing bacteria that posed no threat.,
Microbes Essential To Life
Two scientists recently presented a question in a journal of Biology. They asked what a world without microbes would look like.,
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It would take us a few days before the quite drastic changes to the world would become noticeable. The digestive process for humans would be negatively affected, but would still function. But animals who rely more heavily on the bacteria in their stomach would not last long. One animal that would perish rather quickly is cows.,
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Crops will begin to fail without the bacteria in the soil that fixes nitrogen. Decomposition of plants and animals would cease, waste would accumulate, and the essential nutrient recycling needed to sustain life on earth would come to an end.,
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The prediction by the scientists is a failure in the food supply chain would result in a complete collapse of society. A prolonged period of famine, war, disease and anarchy would ultimately lead to the destruction of most non-microscopic life forms on the planet, including humans.,
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The countless microbes that affect many aspects of our lives are all around us. In recent years, scientists have gained a much greater understanding of how these microbes affect our world. The eight facts above are just some of the amazing discoveries involving the microbiome that has recently been made by scientists.