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

• What roles do microbiomes play in their respective environments?
• How do sequencing technologies contribute to our knowledge of microbiomes?
• What types of symbiotic relationships are found within prokaryotic microbiomes?

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.