Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations
Microbiomes are transmitted between generations by a variety of different vertical and/or horizontal modes, including vegetative reproduction (vertical), via female germ cells (vertical), coprophagy and regurgitation (vertical and horizontal), physical contact starting at birth (vertical and horizon...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/1/70 |
| _version_ | 1797491781551521792 |
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| author | Eugene Rosenberg Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg |
| author_facet | Eugene Rosenberg Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg |
| author_sort | Eugene Rosenberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbiomes are transmitted between generations by a variety of different vertical and/or horizontal modes, including vegetative reproduction (vertical), via female germ cells (vertical), coprophagy and regurgitation (vertical and horizontal), physical contact starting at birth (vertical and horizontal), breast-feeding (vertical), and via the environment (horizontal). Analyses of vertical transmission can result in false negatives (failure to detect rare microbes) and false positives (strain variants). In humans, offspring receive most of their initial gut microbiota vertically from mothers during birth, via breast-feeding and close contact. Horizontal transmission is common in marine organisms and involves selectivity in determining which environmental microbes can colonize the organism’s microbiome. The following arguments are put forth concerning accurate microbial transmission: First, the transmission may be of functions, not necessarily of species; second, horizontal transmission may be as accurate as vertical transmission; third, detection techniques may fail to detect rare microbes; lastly, microbiomes develop and reach maturity with their hosts. In spite of the great variation in means of transmission discussed in this paper, microbiomes and their functions are transferred from one generation of holobionts to the next with fidelity. This provides a strong basis for each holobiont to be considered a unique biological entity and a level of selection in evolution, largely maintaining the uniqueness of the entity and conserving the species from one generation to the next. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:54:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c20b8b81e9a9435cad4789629ad8f3b2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:54:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-c20b8b81e9a9435cad4789629ad8f3b22023-11-23T14:46:51ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-12-011017010.3390/microorganisms10010070Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between GenerationsEugene Rosenberg0Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg1Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo 6997801, IsraelDepartment of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv-Yafo 6997801, IsraelMicrobiomes are transmitted between generations by a variety of different vertical and/or horizontal modes, including vegetative reproduction (vertical), via female germ cells (vertical), coprophagy and regurgitation (vertical and horizontal), physical contact starting at birth (vertical and horizontal), breast-feeding (vertical), and via the environment (horizontal). Analyses of vertical transmission can result in false negatives (failure to detect rare microbes) and false positives (strain variants). In humans, offspring receive most of their initial gut microbiota vertically from mothers during birth, via breast-feeding and close contact. Horizontal transmission is common in marine organisms and involves selectivity in determining which environmental microbes can colonize the organism’s microbiome. The following arguments are put forth concerning accurate microbial transmission: First, the transmission may be of functions, not necessarily of species; second, horizontal transmission may be as accurate as vertical transmission; third, detection techniques may fail to detect rare microbes; lastly, microbiomes develop and reach maturity with their hosts. In spite of the great variation in means of transmission discussed in this paper, microbiomes and their functions are transferred from one generation of holobionts to the next with fidelity. This provides a strong basis for each holobiont to be considered a unique biological entity and a level of selection in evolution, largely maintaining the uniqueness of the entity and conserving the species from one generation to the next.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/1/70microbiomeholobionthologenomemicrobiota transmissiongene/function transmissionvertical transmission |
| spellingShingle | Eugene Rosenberg Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations Microorganisms microbiome holobiont hologenome microbiota transmission gene/function transmission vertical transmission |
| title | Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations |
| title_full | Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations |
| title_fullStr | Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations |
| title_short | Reconstitution and Transmission of Gut Microbiomes and Their Genes between Generations |
| title_sort | reconstitution and transmission of gut microbiomes and their genes between generations |
| topic | microbiome holobiont hologenome microbiota transmission gene/function transmission vertical transmission |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/1/70 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eugenerosenberg reconstitutionandtransmissionofgutmicrobiomesandtheirgenesbetweengenerations AT ilanazilberrosenberg reconstitutionandtransmissionofgutmicrobiomesandtheirgenesbetweengenerations |