Question

Write a paragraph on the size and diversity of the human microbiome, be sure to include the following in your write-up:

– Current estimate for the ratio of bacterial cells to human cells in the human body

– Diversity of microbiome

■ What are the estimates of number of different bacterial genera in the human microbiome?

■ What other types of microbes, besides bacteria, are present in the human microbiome?

– What human disease or conditions can be influenced by the human microbiome?

Answer 1

Human body is colonized by many different microbes. Current estimate is that the ratio of bacterial cells to human cells in the human body is 3:1. These microbes live on human skin, intestines, tissues in mouth, and all over the body parts. The estimated number of of different bacterial genera in the human microbiome. It is estimated that  500 to 1,000 species of bacteria belonging to phyla Firmicutes, Verrumicrobia, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes  Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria are living in association with human body. Other than bacterial, the microbes living in assiciation with human body includes many different species of fungi, archaea and virus. Human disease or conditions which can be influenced by the human microbiome includes Clostridium difficile infection, Cancer-colon cancer, Inflammatory bowel disease etc.