Abstract:
The prevailing consensus in scientific literature underscores the mutualistic bond between the microbiota and the human host, suggesting a finely tuned coevolutionary partnership that enhances the fitness of both parties. This symbiotic relationship has been extensively studied, with certain bacterial attributes being construed as hallmarks of natural selection favoring the benefit of the human host. Some scholars go as far as equating the intricate interplay between humans and their intestinal microbiota to that of endosymbiotic relationships, even conceptualizing microbiota as an integral human organ. However, amidst the prevailing narrative of bacterial species being categorized as beneficial or detrimental to human health, a critical oversight often emerges - the inherent functional diversity within bacterial strains. Such reductionist perspectives risk oversimplifying the complex dynamics at play within the microbiome. Recent genomic analysis at the strain level is highly limited, which is surprising given that strain information provides critical data about selective pressures in the intestine. These pressures appear to focus more on the well-being of bacteria rather than human health. Connected to this is the extent to which animals depend on metabolic activity from intestinal bacteria, which varies widely across species. While omnivores like humans exhibit lower dependency, certain herbivores rely entirely on bacterial activity and have developed specialized compartments to house these bacteria.
摘要:
科学文献中的普遍共识强调了微生物群与人类宿主之间的相互联系,提出了一种精细调整的共同进化伙伴关系,以增强双方的适应性。这种共生关系已被广泛研究,某些细菌属性被解释为有利于人类宿主的自然选择的标志。一些学者甚至将人类与其肠道微生物群之间的复杂相互作用等同于内共生关系,甚至将微生物群概念化为人体不可或缺的器官。然而,在细菌物种被归类为对人类健康有益或有害的流行叙述中,一个关键的监督经常出现——细菌菌株内在的功能多样性。这种简化主义者的观点有可能过度简化微生物群内的复杂动态。最近在菌株水平上的基因组分析非常有限,这是令人惊讶的,因为应变信息提供了有关肠道选择压力的关键数据。这些压力似乎更多地关注细菌的健康,而不是人类健康。与此相关的是动物依赖肠道细菌代谢活动的程度,在不同物种之间差异很大。虽然像人类这样的杂食动物表现出较低的依赖性,某些食草动物完全依赖细菌活动,并开发了专门的隔室来容纳这些细菌。