Learn a Lesson from the Past
03/04/12 12:31 Filed in: GenomeWeb Daily Scan
Submitted by S. Pelech - Kinexus on Tue, 04/03/2012 - 21:18.
What is meant by the human microbiome "sequence" is even more elusive than the relatively static human genome "sequence" even if this is only from one person out of 7 billion on this planet. Each individual has his or her own unique resident flora of some 10 trillion bacteria located in different regions of their body that results from a combination of a diversity of factors. These include their genetic background, where they have travelled to become exposed to the bacteria, their innate and acquired immunity systems, their diet and many other environmental exposures (including soaps and deodorants). Over and above the differences in intrinsic gene expression levels within each microbe type, there is also further complexity with vast differences in the numbers of the diverse microbes in the gut and surfaces of the human body.
From a practical perspective, what we really need to do is to identify the specific bacteria that are problematic and cause disease, and differentiate them from the vast majority that are benign or even essential to human health. New therapeutics should be developed that target critical genes that are more unique to the pathogenic microbes without disturbing most of the other resident flora. Indeed, the resident flora is often our best protection against pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
The challenges that emerge in translation of knowledge of the diverse genomes in complex mixtures of thousands of different types of microbes to the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments will be much more formidable than has occurred with the far simpler Human Genome Project. Consequently, expectations must be tempered. However, the recent success with fecal microbiota transplantation to correct illnesses such as ulcerative colitis, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome indicates that effective treatments could come from even the simple introduction of defined pro-active bacteria (i.e. specific bacteria could themselves be used as drug-like treatments!). Such bacteria may even produce their own cocktails of antibiotics that help them compete against pathogenic strains that disturb the harmony maintained amongst the better behaved members of the resident flora colonies that we all carry and that contribute to our good health.
Link to the original blog post.
What is meant by the human microbiome "sequence" is even more elusive than the relatively static human genome "sequence" even if this is only from one person out of 7 billion on this planet. Each individual has his or her own unique resident flora of some 10 trillion bacteria located in different regions of their body that results from a combination of a diversity of factors. These include their genetic background, where they have travelled to become exposed to the bacteria, their innate and acquired immunity systems, their diet and many other environmental exposures (including soaps and deodorants). Over and above the differences in intrinsic gene expression levels within each microbe type, there is also further complexity with vast differences in the numbers of the diverse microbes in the gut and surfaces of the human body.
From a practical perspective, what we really need to do is to identify the specific bacteria that are problematic and cause disease, and differentiate them from the vast majority that are benign or even essential to human health. New therapeutics should be developed that target critical genes that are more unique to the pathogenic microbes without disturbing most of the other resident flora. Indeed, the resident flora is often our best protection against pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
The challenges that emerge in translation of knowledge of the diverse genomes in complex mixtures of thousands of different types of microbes to the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments will be much more formidable than has occurred with the far simpler Human Genome Project. Consequently, expectations must be tempered. However, the recent success with fecal microbiota transplantation to correct illnesses such as ulcerative colitis, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome indicates that effective treatments could come from even the simple introduction of defined pro-active bacteria (i.e. specific bacteria could themselves be used as drug-like treatments!). Such bacteria may even produce their own cocktails of antibiotics that help them compete against pathogenic strains that disturb the harmony maintained amongst the better behaved members of the resident flora colonies that we all carry and that contribute to our good health.
Link to the original blog post.