microbiome tagged posts

People who regularly consume yogurt or buttermilk have a greater diversity of gut bacteria. Credit: © BillionPhotos.com / Fotolia

A large-scale study into the effect of food and medicine on the bacterial diversity in the human gut was led by RUG/UMCG geneticist Cisca Wijmenga. Researchers collected stool samples from more than 1100 people taking part in the LifeLines programme, which is monitoring the health of 165,000 residents of the Northern Netherlands. The samples were used to analyze the DNA of the bacteria and other organisms that live in the gut. In addition to stools, the study collected information on the participants’ diet, medicine-use and health.

This study is unique in that it focused on a group of normal people whereas previous research was frequently focused on patients wi...

Metabolic differences in the small intestine A. Metabolic genes as well as the associated reactions involved in the formation of glutathione (GSH) are presented. B, C Significant differences associated with (B) glycine and (C) glutamine are shown. Red and blue arrows indicate the significantly (Q‐value < 0.05) higher and lower expression of the metabolic genes in CONV‐R mice compared to GF mice, respectively. D. The levels of glycine, glutamine, and cysteine used in the de novo synthesis of the GSH are measured in the hepatic portal vein that conducts blood from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver tissue. *Q‐value < 0.05.

Human intestinal flora regulates the levels of the body’s main antioxidant, glutathione, which fights a host of diseases, new research confirms...

Can you tell inner space from outer space? Featured are images of celestial bodies and microorganisms. You decide which is which! Credit: NASA

As part of NASA’s 1yr Mission, researchers are studying how microbes living on astronauts’ skin, inside their bodies and on the ISS impact their health. To prepare for a journey to Mars, it is important to understand how long-duration spaceflight affects microorganisms because changes to this complex ecosystem could be detrimental to future missions.

There are 10X more microbial cells than human cells in and on the human body, weighing up to 5lbs. Hundreds of species inhabit the body, and some have a beneficial effect on health. They protect humans by competing with other organisms and guarding against pathogens...

Bacterial growth rates computed with the new method are shown (top, average; bottom, for specific species, red represents faster replication) for a human subject that underwent a radical dietary change. Compared are days in which only white boiled rice was consumed (grey area) and days of normal diet (white area). A global change in bacterial growth dynamics was observed between dietary regimens. Credit: Weizmann Institute of Science

The reproduction rates of the bacteria in one’s gut may be a good indicator of health or disease, scientists say. In their examination of human microbiome data, the research group found that particular changes in bacterial growth rates are uniquely associated with type II diabetes; others are tied to inflammatory bowel disease, for example.
The study began w...