The World of Mini Bugs
Written by Susie Schaffer
Edited by Janelle Nieva
Jan 31, 2021
Edited by Janelle Nieva
Jan 31, 2021
The Coronavirus pandemic has brought the world’s attention towards the significantly formidable impact of all the millions of tiny, indiscernible microbes constantly living among us. The microworld, the systems of microscopic organisms consisting of bacteria, viruses, archaea, protozoa, and fungi, is all around us, from the depths of the ocean to the interiors of the human body (Human Health Is Bound to Microbiomes). Recently, microbiota has had a bad wrap. While bacteria and viruses sound frightening, they are necessary for the world to work. The sphere of microbiota is vast and plays many roles in the world.
The power of this newly explored world of mini bugs is still being researched and discovered today. To make it even more complicated, these mini systems evolve and change in every environment they are in (Human Health Is Bound to Microbiomes). For the sake of this article though, we will focus on their role in the human body. While in the current world climate microbiota appear to be a threat, we depend on them to complete critical tasks for our health. For example, microbiomes “influence...our brain function, immune response, and metabolism” (Human Health Is Bound to Microbiomes). Microbiomes are especially important in the gut, as they help breakdown food that we would otherwise not be able to digest. These bacteria and understanding how they work is key to keeping a healthy body.
There are many ways for the human gut to have diverse bacteria present. In general, the more diversity a microbiome possesses, the more beneficial it will be. The primary factors are “ age, genetics, mode of delivery at birth, method of feeding in infants, medications...geographical location, and the diet ”(Role of Dietary Nutrients in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota). Organic foods, probiotics, and fermented foods are all great ways to introduce healthy bacteria into your gut; therefore, the simplest factor to control is diet. Eating lots of processed and fatty foods will alter the pH balance in your gut, and doing so won’t allow the healthy bacteria to survive.
By studying these microbiomes in our body, many scientists hope to harness their powers and try to replicate them in different medicines. For example, Oromi-Bosch and Kotulaa are studying how to genetically engineer bacterial genetic sequences to change the way they function. The goal is to make a bacteria that would react a certain way under certain conditions. Another group, Culler et al., are hoping to use artificial intelligence to sort through the complexities of the gut microbiome in order to search for a microbe-based drug discovery (Human Health Is Bound to Microbiomes).
We now understand the crucial need for microbiota in our life, so while sanitizing your lifestyle, remember that you need some healthy bacteria in your gut. Next time you're at the grocery store, stop to get a kombucha.
Works Cited
“Human Health Is Bound to Microbiomes.” AIChE, 6 Oct. 2020, www.aiche.org/resources/publications/cep/2020/october/human-health-bound-microbiomes.
Yang, Qi, et al. “Role of Dietary Nutrients in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Review.” Nutrients, MDPI, 31 Jan. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071260/.
Image Source: “Beneficial Gut Bacteria” by Darryl Leja, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health licensed under CCBY-NC 2.0.