Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community
The microbiota of a typical, healthy human contains 10 times as many cells as the human body and incorporates bacteria, viruses, archea, protozoans, and fungi. This diverse microbiome (the collective genomes of the microbial symbionts that inhabit a human host) is essential for human functioning. W...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2008-01-01
|
| Series: | Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2008/613979 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832552135509671936 |
|---|---|
| author | Betsy Foxman Deborah Goldberg Courtney Murdock Chuanwu Xi Janet R. Gilsdorf |
| author_facet | Betsy Foxman Deborah Goldberg Courtney Murdock Chuanwu Xi Janet R. Gilsdorf |
| author_sort | Betsy Foxman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The microbiota of a typical, healthy human contains 10 times as many cells as the human body and incorporates bacteria, viruses, archea, protozoans, and fungi. This diverse microbiome (the collective genomes of the microbial symbionts that inhabit a human host) is essential for human functioning. We discuss the unstated assumptions and implications of current conceptualizations of human microbiota: (1) a single unit that interacts with the host and the external environment; a multicelled organ; (2) an assemblage of multiple taxa, but considered as a single unit in its interactions with the host; (3) an assemblage of multiple taxa, which each interacts with the host and the environment independently; and (4) a dynamic ecological community consisting of multiple taxa each potentially interacting with each other, the host, and the environment. Each conceptualization leads to different predictions, methodologies, and research strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-112d2a6c5f414a4f82e8140bb5885e93 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-708X 1687-7098 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-112d2a6c5f414a4f82e8140bb5885e932025-02-03T05:59:20ZengWileyInterdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases1687-708X1687-70982008-01-01200810.1155/2008/613979613979Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological CommunityBetsy Foxman0Deborah Goldberg1Courtney Murdock2Chuanwu Xi3Janet R. Gilsdorf4Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USADepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USASchool of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USADepartment of Environment Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USADepartment of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAThe microbiota of a typical, healthy human contains 10 times as many cells as the human body and incorporates bacteria, viruses, archea, protozoans, and fungi. This diverse microbiome (the collective genomes of the microbial symbionts that inhabit a human host) is essential for human functioning. We discuss the unstated assumptions and implications of current conceptualizations of human microbiota: (1) a single unit that interacts with the host and the external environment; a multicelled organ; (2) an assemblage of multiple taxa, but considered as a single unit in its interactions with the host; (3) an assemblage of multiple taxa, which each interacts with the host and the environment independently; and (4) a dynamic ecological community consisting of multiple taxa each potentially interacting with each other, the host, and the environment. Each conceptualization leads to different predictions, methodologies, and research strategies.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2008/613979 |
| spellingShingle | Betsy Foxman Deborah Goldberg Courtney Murdock Chuanwu Xi Janet R. Gilsdorf Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases |
| title | Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community |
| title_full | Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community |
| title_fullStr | Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community |
| title_short | Conceptualizing Human Microbiota: From Multicelled Organ to Ecological Community |
| title_sort | conceptualizing human microbiota from multicelled organ to ecological community |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2008/613979 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT betsyfoxman conceptualizinghumanmicrobiotafrommulticelledorgantoecologicalcommunity AT deborahgoldberg conceptualizinghumanmicrobiotafrommulticelledorgantoecologicalcommunity AT courtneymurdock conceptualizinghumanmicrobiotafrommulticelledorgantoecologicalcommunity AT chuanwuxi conceptualizinghumanmicrobiotafrommulticelledorgantoecologicalcommunity AT janetrgilsdorf conceptualizinghumanmicrobiotafrommulticelledorgantoecologicalcommunity |