That other voice: the Microbe
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20070519/bob9.asp
Summary:
Tiny communities of bacteria called microbes are equally, if not more, numerous and unique than each persons individual genes. However, it was not until recently that the importance of these little creatures role and specialization has been seen.
The most common microbes are known to be in the gut. Through several studies with mice, many new characteristics are being discovered. Some of these include how microbes work and change together and with their host to perform ideally.
Along with their cooperative abilities, another image is emerging. Different microbes are being found to relate to different diseases such as diabetes or even gum disease. Watching microbial communities in the victims of theses diseases has suggested that every person retains a core set of microbes and has a variable set of microbes that affect our bodies; in their case, their disease.
Along with this study, how microbes react to certain stimuli is opening new doors for pharmaceutical industries. Including microbial reactions can help make safer more effective drugs. This is possible because instead of using drugs to influence the body or hormones, they can influence microbes.
The last thing this article discusses is how much more complex the microbial world is. For every one human gene, there is believed to be one hundred microbial genes. New ways of studying this endless world are emerging. A world so specialized that the microbes can be completely different from the gap on one side of a tooth to the other side. New avenues are being followed and new doors are opening to this unlikely advantage.
Response:
I thought this article was interesting because it showed how the slightest little things can be monumentally significant. Microbes, once thought to be simple and universal, are now being discovered as specialized and countless. This discovery is given rapid accelerations in directions in many fields. The idea that the pharmaceutical industry can make drugs to influence germs to help diseases is really intriguing.
posted by Ashley @ 6:32 PM
3 Comments:
it seems like a lot of the articles we read for this quarter have to do with the complexity of the human body. the part about the microbes being different on one side of the tooth to the other is amazing! the amount of the microbial genes is incredible!!!
i would like to know why making drugs influence microbes would be safer and more effective than using hormones. couldn't problems arise from influencing the microbes also? and if the microbes are so specialized wouldn't it be difficult to make a drug that would target only a certain type of microbe?
I think that it interesting how they are tyring to inlfuence germs. It is sort of a new idea, to use microbes to have an effect on germs instead of using microbes to effect the body. I agree with Lian that it brings up concerns about the effect of hormones.
I think that the human body intrigues me more and more everyday. By taking this class I have learned how complexed our body is. The fact that we can use bacteria to cure diseases just blows my mind. I think microbes will be looked at alot more becuase they reall could be the a real key to our future. I am interested to see if there are any setbacks though. If there isn't boy could this make a huge impact.
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