Vol. 8, Issue 1 (2019)

Author(s):
JP Singh, OP Singh, Swathi C and Ashutosh Chaturvedi

Abstract:
The human gastrointestinal tract is colonized by large numbers of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi and protozoa, collectively known as the gut microbiota. The human gut microbiota consists of up to 100 trillion microbes and possesses at least 100 times more genes (the microbiome) than are present in the entire human genome.1 These microbes serve a number of important functions including: producing additional energy otherwise inaccessible to the host by breaking down soluble fiber; producing vitamins such as biotin, folate and vitamin K; metabolizing xenobiotics such as the inactivation of heterocyclic amines formed in meat during cooking; preventing colonization by pathogens; and assisting in the development of a mature immune system. Currently, the bulk of microbiome research is focused on the gut microbiota since this is where the majority of bacteria are found. However, most data are obtained from analysis of stool samples because these are easily accessible. Comparisons of microbiota from colonic mucosal biopsies and stool samples have shown that there are compositional differences between the mucosa-associated and the luminal (fecal) microbiota and thus stool analysis might not accurately reflect the gastrointestinal tract. 2 Regardless, microbiome analysis has revealed a relationship between nutrition, the gut microbiota and a number of human diseases including obesity.