microbiomics

Using a variety of samples and methods, the researchers were able to differentiate which microorganisms were already present in the body during his lifetime and which only colonized it after his death – both during the time in the glacier and over three decades of preservation. In samples of internal tissue, the researchers were able to detect genetic material from bacteria belonging to Ötzi’s original gut flora. A surprising finding is the presence of cold-adapted yeast species, likely originating from the glacial environment, that have persisted on Ötzi’s body to the present day. These cold-tolerant yeasts may also hold potential for industrial applications. The study was published in the reputable Microbiome journal.

Cosa succede alla comunità batterica della nostra bocca quando fumiamo? E che effetto ha smettere sul nostro microbiota orale? Per rispondere a queste domande, un team di ricerca di Eurac Research e dell’Università del Michigan ha analizzato i campioni di saliva di oltre 1600 persone; si tratta di uno dei più grandi studi sul microbiota salivare a livello mondiale. I campioni provengono dallo studio di popolazione CHRIS, in corso da oltre dieci anni in Venosta. Dalle analisi sul microbiota è emerso che chi fuma ha in bocca una comunità microbica significativamente diversa da chi non ha mai fumato. Con l’aumento del consumo di sigarette, il numero di batteri che necessitano di ossigeno diminuisce. Devono passare cinque anni dall’ultima sigaretta, perché il microbiota orale non permetta più di distinguere chi fumava da chi non ha mai iniziato. Lo studio è stato pubblicato in questi giorni su Scientific Reports.

We perceive highly processed fermented foods such as beer or cheese primarily as a hallmark of modern times. However historical texts do confirm that milk was fermented in ancient Egypt and, the world's oldest evidence for the actual consumption of blue cheese has now been revealed by a team of researchers. The evidence in question comes from Hallstatt salt mine in Austria in the form of exceptionally well-preserved fecal remains from the Bronze Age to the Baroque period which demonstrate the presence of two fungal species used in the production of blue cheese and beer. The combination of archaeological and molecular analysis has proven particularly fruitful, providing surprising insights both into prehistoric dietary habits and food production. The study results will be published today, October 13, in the renowned journal Current Biology.

Plaque – horrible stuff, right? Well yes, but not entirely: old tooth plaque also known as dental calculus samples provide a valuable source of information about our oral microbiota and its development. A team of researchers from Eurac Research and the University of Trento, examined the calculus of twenty human skeletal remains from South Tyrol and Trentino dating from the Neolithic period to the Early Middle Ages. The team discovered two previously unknown species of a common microorganism in our bodies called Methanobrevibacter. Thanks to the application of a bioinformatics method not yet established in mummy research, the research group was also able to reveal that on a temporal axis of 50,000 years, the diversity of this organism in our oral flora has declined sharply in recent centuries. The results of the study have now been published in the renowned journal "Microbiome".