Microbiome

Definition

The microbiome is the community of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, that inhabit a particular environment. In prokaryotes, it includes all the genetic material present in these microbial communities.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Human microbiomes are highly diverse and vary significantly between individuals.
2. Microbiomes play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and energy flow in ecosystems.
3. Prokaryotic microbiomes can be found in extreme environments like hot springs and deep-sea vents.
4. Symbiotic relationships within microbiomes can be mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic.
5. Advances in sequencing technologies have greatly expanded our understanding of microbial diversity within microbiomes.

Review Questions

Related terms

Symbiosis:

A close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species.

Metagenomics:

The study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples.

Extremeophiles: Microorganisms that thrive in extreme environmental conditions.