Knowra Human microbiome Human microbiome The human microbiome comprises microorganisms associated with the body and their collective genetic material. Its composition varies across body sites, individuals, and time.
Human microbiota : The microorganisms living in or on a person, considered separately from their collective genes and functions. Separates the organisms themselves from the broader microbiome, which also includes their genetic material.
Short-chain fatty acids : Fatty acids, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate, produced largely by microbial fermentation of dietary fiber. These microbial products can nourish colon cells and influence immune and metabolic processes.
Fecal microbiota transplantation : A treatment that transfers screened donor stool microorganisms to a recipient, chiefly used for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. It is a direct intervention on the gut community with established use for a specific infection.
Human Microbiome Project : A United States research initiative that catalogued microbial communities associated with healthy human body sites. Its reference datasets helped establish how much microbial composition differs among body sites and people.
Microbial ecology : The study of interactions among microorganisms and between microbes and their environments. Explains how competition, cooperation, and environmental conditions shape human-associated communities.
Bile acid metabolism : The chemical transformations of bile acids by host enzymes and intestinal microorganisms. Microbial modifications alter bile-acid signaling and help connect gut communities to host physiology.
Probiotics : Live microorganisms that confer a health benefit when administered in adequate amounts. Some products aim to modify microbial activity, but effects depend on strain and clinical context.
16S ribosomal RNA sequencing : A method that identifies and compares bacteria and archaea by sequencing variable regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. It is widely used for community surveys but usually provides limited species and functional resolution.
Dysbiosis : A disruption in a microbial community’s composition or function associated with an altered state of health. Names a frequently used, though context-dependent, description of microbiome change linked to disease.
Mucosal barrier : The layer of mucus, epithelial cells, and immune defenses that separates body tissues from luminal contents. Microbes interact with this boundary, which limits harmful exposure while allowing controlled exchange.
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