The Human

Microbiome
By Unnati Bhalerao.
 Points To Be Covered
• The vocabulary of microbiome research.
• The Human Microbiome Project.
• The Human Microbiome.
• Variability In The Human Microbiome.
• The Gut Microbiome.
• Benefits Of A Healthy Human Microbiome.
• Fecal Microbiota Transplant.
 The Vocabulary of
Microbiome Research
• Microbiome- the entire habitat,
microorganisms, their genomes and the
surrounding environment.
• Metagenome- Collection of genes and
genomes of members of a microbiota.
• Microbiota- Assemblage of microorganisms in
a defined environment.
The Human Microbiome
Project

• An initiative of the United States National Institute

of Health- established in 2008.
• A 10-year program- aimed at generating resources
for the comprehensive characterization of the
human microbiome and analysis of its role in
human health and disease.
• Organized in two phases-
1. HMP1
2. HMP2.
The Complete Human: Three
Domains Of Life
The Human Microbiome
Variability In The Human
Microbiome
The Gut Microbiome
 Benefits Of A Healthy
Human Microbiome
1. Synthesis and excretion of vitamins (K and B12)
2. Prevention of colonization by pathogens- by
competing for attachment sites and/or essential
nutrients.
3. Antagonization of other bacteria- by production of
inhibitory substances.
4. Stimulation of production of cross-reactive
antibodies, thereby assisting the development of a
mature immune system.
 Fecal Microbiota
Transplantation (FMT)
• Also known as stool
transplantation-
administration of a
solution of fecal matter
from a donor into the
intestinal tract of a
recipient so as to
change the recipient’s
microbial composition
and confer a health
benefit.
• Effective treatment for
C.difficile infection.
 References
1. Julian R. Marchesi, Jacques Ravel: The vocabulary of
microbiome research: a proposal. Microbiome 2015, 3, 31.
2. Dietert, Rodney & M. Dietert, Janice. (2015). The
Microbiome and Sustainable Healthcare. Healthcare. 2015.
100-129. 10.3390/healthcare3010100.
3. Peter J. Turnbaugh, Ruth E. Ley, Micah Hamady, Claire M.
Fraser-Liggett, Rob Knight, Jeffrey I. Gordon: The Human
Microbiome Project. Nature 449, 804-810, 18 October 2007.
4. Gupta S, Allen-Vercoe E, Petrof EO. Fecal microbiota
transplantation: in perspective. Therap Adv Gastroenterol.
2016;9(2):229–239. doi:10.1177/1756283X15607414