I'm back! This episode: Looking at how people in different villages share microbes!
Download Episode (6.5 MB, 7.0 minutes)
Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Cristispira pectinis
Takeaways
Our microbiota, the communities of microbes living in and on our bodies, are incredibly diverse and varied. Each person's is different, and they can change drastically over time with changes in location, diet, lifestyle, and other factors.
Learning how our microbiota forms and changes and functions is important, because it can affect many aspects of health. In this study, villagers in the islands of Fiji share microbes with others in the same and other villages, but not always in patterns that might be expected.
Journal Paper:
Brito IL, Gurry T, Zhao S, Huang K, Young SK, Shea TP, Naisilisili W, Jenkins AP, Jupiter SD, Gevers D, Alm EJ. Transmission of human-associated microbiota along family and social networks. Nat Microbiol.
Other interesting stories:
Figuring out how probiotic microbe protects gut against pathogens (paper) Insect symbiont Wolbachia grown in sugar yeast cells (paper)
Email questions or comments to bacteriofiles at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening!
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