NCJ Number
305222
Date Published
2022
Annotation
In this Review, we explore microbial succession in the healthy human microbiota from the cradle to the grave.
Abstract
We discuss the stages from primary succession at birth, to disruptions by disease or antibiotic use, to microbial expansion at death. We address how these successions differ by body site and by domain (bacteria, fungi or viruses). We also review experimental tools that microbiota researchers use to conduct this work. Finally, we discuss future directions for studying the microbiota’s relationship with age, including designing consistent, well-powered, longitudinal studies, performing robust statistical analyses and improving characterization of non-bacterial microorganisms. (Publisher abstract provided)