Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Microbiota Interactions

Author: mycolabadmin
2020-12-17
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Summary

This research examines how different types of microorganisms – including bacteria, fungi, and parasites – interact with each other within the human body and other organisms. These interactions are crucial for maintaining health and can influence disease development. The study highlights how modern DNA sequencing technologies have improved our understanding of these complex relationships. Impacts on everyday life: – Understanding these interactions helps develop better probiotics and treatments for gut-related diseases – Knowledge of microbial relationships can improve strategies for maintaining healthy gut flora – This research aids in developing more effective treatments for parasitic and fungal infections – The findings help explain how diet and lifestyle choices affect our microbiome – This work contributes to better understanding how antibiotics affect overall gut health

Background

The microbiota within living organisms consists of communities of bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa, metazoans (mainly helminths) and viruses that have often co-evolved with their hosts. The structure and diversity of microbiota varies according to host immunity, diet, environment, age, physiological and metabolic status, medical practices, climate, season and host genetics. Recent advances in next generation sequencing technologies have enhanced our understanding of the relationships between distinct microorganisms within microbiota.

Objective

This review aims to assess the current knowledge on interactions between prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities within microbiota. The study analyzes findings from available publications describing the interaction between bacterial communities and protozoa, helminths and fungi, either in vitro, in experimental models, or in humans.

Results

The review found that protozoa, helminths and fungi can significantly impact bacterial community diversity and structure. Some bacteria like Lactobacillus sp. were found to inhibit protozoan infections. Helminth infections were associated with both increases and decreases in bacterial diversity depending on the specific parasite and host. Fungi were found to modulate bacterial communities, with some fungal species like Saccharomyces showing potential probiotic effects. The interactions between these microorganisms play important roles in host health and disease states.

Conclusion

The relationship between prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities contributes to host homeostasis and health. This relationship can be altered by various factors including anti-infective treatments, genetic predisposition, and diseases. While studies analyzing prokaryote-eukaryote community interactions remain scarce, the evidence suggests these interactions are important for understanding microbiota function and host health. Further large-scale controlled studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms explaining variations in prokaryotic microbiota resulting from eukaryotic presence.

Published in:Microorganisms,
Study Type:Review,
Source: 10.3390/microorganisms8122018