Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome

Mitreva, Makedonka and The Human Microbiome Project Consortium, * (2012) Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome. Nature, 486. pp. 207-214.

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Abstract

Studies of the human microbiome have revealed that even healthy individuals differ remarkably in the microbes that
occupy habitats such as the gut, skin and vagina. Much of this diversity remains unexplained, although diet,
environment, host genetics and early microbial exposure have all been implicated. Accordingly, to characterize the
ecology of human-associated microbial communities, the Human Microbiome Project has analysed the largest cohort
and set of distinct, clinically relevant body habitats so far. We found the diversity and abundance of each habitat’s
signature microbes to vary widely even among healthy subjects, with strong niche specialization both within and among individuals. The project encountered an estimated 81–99% of the genera, enzyme families and community
configurations occupied by the healthy Western microbiome. Metagenomic carriage of metabolic pathways was
stable among individuals despite variation in community structure, and ethnic/racial background proved to be one of
the strongest associations of both pathways and microbes with clinical metadata. These results thus delineate the range of structural and functional configurations normal in the microbial communities of a healthy population, enabling future characterization of the epidemiology, ecology and translational applications of the human microbiome.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Medical and Health Sciences > Basic medicine
Divisions: Faculty of Medical Science
Depositing User: Mirjana Kocaleva Vitanova
Date Deposited: 29 Nov 2012 14:37
Last Modified: 29 Nov 2012 14:37
URI: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/2482

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