Search results for "microbiota"
showing 10 items of 500 documents
Metagenomic analysis of the microbiota hindgut of Reticulitermes lucifugus (Rossi) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
2008
Termites hindguts host a microbial community consisting of anaerobic flagellates and bacteria. This gut microflora is responsible for the degradation of lignocellulosic material. Here we report the data concerning the analysis of the hindgut microbial community of Reticulitermes lucifugus (Rossi), a termite commonly present in Italy, based on a metagenomic approach. Metagenomic DNA was extracted from the gut content of termites and the SSU rDNA was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - amplified using universal primers for prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Two clone libraries were constructed and clones were grouped into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) by RFLP analysis. One representative clone was…
Human milk is not “merely nutritious”: How its bioactive role can influence child health
2021
Maternal milk represents the best food for the newborn, providing specific physiologic advantages over the other sources of nutrition. It also contains many hundreds to thousands of bioactive molecules that protect against infection (i.e. IgA), inflammation (i.e. 5-methylthioadenosine) and contribute to eliciting strong immune responses in breastfed children (i.e. allergens or viral antigens). Quality and quantity of breast milk components may influence the development of infant body composition in the first years of life; in particular, it has been shown that a different composition of human oligosaccharides (HMOs) in overweight/obese women’s human milk can be correlated with her offspring…
Conservation state of two paintings in the Santa Margherita cliff cave: role of the environment and of the microbial community
2021
Abstract The conservation of ancient paintings sited in humid environments is an actual challenge for restorers, because it needs the knowledge of the materials the paintings are made up and of their interaction with a peculiar surrounding environment; thus, tailored procedures and strategies aimed at restoring and preserving paintings are necessary. The Santa Margherita’s cave in Castellammare del Golfo (Trapani, Italy) is a natural cave, containing the remains of paintings, in a poor state of conservation, belonging to an ancient church dated back to the Middle Age. The present manuscript reports the monitoring of environmental conditions (i.e., temperature and humidity) in a full year as…
Polyamines and microbiota in bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve aortopathy
2019
Polyamines are small aliphatic cationic molecules synthesized via a highly regulated pathway and involved in general molecular and cellular phenomena. Both mammalian cells and microorganisms synthesize polyamines, and both sources may contribute to the presence of polyamines in the circulation. The dominant location for microorganisms within the body is the gut. Accordingly, the gut microbiota probably synthesizes most of the polyamines in the circulation in addition to those produced by the mammalian host cells. Polyamines are mandatory for cellular growth and proliferation. Established evidence suggests that the polyamine spermidine prolongs lifespan and improves cardiovascular health in …
Composition of Human Breast Milk Microbiota and Its Role in Children's Health
2021
: Human milk contains a number of nutritional and bioactive molecules including microorganisms that constitute the so-called "Human Milk Microbiota (HMM)". Recent studies have shown that not only bacterial but also viral, fungal, and archaeal components are present in the HMM. Previous research has established, a "core" microbiome, consisting of Firmicutes (i.e., Streptococcus, Staphylococcus), Proteobacteria (i.e., Serratia, Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Sphingomonas, Bradyrhizobium), and Actinobacteria (i.e., Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium). This review aims to summarize the main characteristics of HMM and the role it plays in shaping a child's health. We reviewed the most recent literature…
The intestinal 3M (microbiota, metabolism, metabolome) zeitgeist – from fundamentals to future challenges
2021
The role of the intestine in human health and disease has historically been neglected and was mostly attributed to digestive and absorptive functions. In the past two decades, however, discoveries related to human nutrition and intestinal host-microbe reciprocal interaction have established the essential role of intestinal health in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases and the overall wellbeing. That transfer of gut microbiota could be a means of disease phenotype transfer has revolutionized our understanding of chronic disease pathogenesis. This narrative review highlights the major concepts related to intestinal microbiota, metabolism, and metabolome (3M) that have facilitated our fundame…
Impact of probiotics on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. A review.
2014
International audience; Probiotic microorganisms have historically been used to rebalance disturbed intestinal microbiota and to diminish gastrointestinal disorders, such as diarrhea or inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). Recent studies explore the potential for expanded uses of probiotics on medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, and metabolic disturbances such as hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress. This review aims at summarizing the proposed molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in probiotic-host interactions and to identi…
HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS AND AUTOIMMUNE SYSTEM ACTIVATION IN IBD: ARTICULAR MANIFESTATIONS AND THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FREQUENCY IN ORTHPEDICS
2013
clinical evidence suggest that arthritis is one of the complications of inflammatori bowel disease (IBD) of which the etiological causes are still not completely understood. Among the possible explanations the most probable theory is poor regulation of the intestinal immune system, which causes a cross-like immune reactivity against the resident micro flora. Arthritis is these subjects involves different joints and is asymmetric, with greater involvement of the large joints of the lower limbs. Joints may also be involved with the spinal forms of sacroileitis and ankilosing spondylitis. This clinical evidence explains the existence of Lesnioski-Crohn's disease, a variant of IBD in which pati…
Food-mediated modulation of immunity in a phytophagous insect: An effect of nutrition rather than parasitic contamination.
2015
7 pages; International audience; Inherent to the cost of immunity, the immune system itself can exhibit tradeoffs between its arms. Phytophagous insects face a wide range of microbial and eukaryotic parasites, each activating different immune pathways that could compromise the activity of the others. Feeding larvae are primarily exposed to microbes, which growth is controlled by antibiotic secondary metabolites produced by the host plant. The resulting variation in abundance of microbes on plants is expected to differentially stimulate the insect antimicrobial immune defenses. Under the above tradeoff hypothesis, stimulation of the insect antimicrobial defenses is expected to compromise imm…
Microbial symbionts of parasitoids
2020
Parasitoids depend on other insects for the development of their offspring. Their eggs are laid in or on a host insect that is consumed during juvenile development. Parasitoids harbor a diversity of microbial symbionts including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. In contrast to symbionts of herbivorous and hematophagous insects, parasitoid symbionts do not provide nutrients. Instead, they are involved in parasitoid reproduction, suppression of host immune responses, and manipulation of the behavior of herbivorous hosts. Moreover, recent research has shown that parasitoid symbionts such as polydnaviruses may also influence plant-mediated interactions among members of plant-associated communities…