TY - JOUR

T1 - The Human Gut Phageome Origins and Roles in the Human Gut Microbiome

AU - Townsend, Eleanor M

AU - Kelly, Lucy

AU - Muscatt, George

AU - Box, Joshua D

AU - Hargraves, Nicole

AU - Lilley, Daniel

AU - Jameson, Eleanor

N1 - Copyright © 2021 Townsend, Kelly, Muscatt, Box, Hargraves, Lilley and Jameson.

PY - 2021/6/4

Y1 - 2021/6/4

N2 - The investigation of the microbial populations of the human body, known as the microbiome, has led to a revolutionary field of science, and understanding of its impacts on human development and health. The majority of microbiome research to date has focussed on bacteria and other kingdoms of life, such as fungi. Trailing behind these is the interrogation of the gut viruses, specifically the phageome. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacterial hosts, are known to dictate the dynamics and diversity of bacterial populations in a number of ecosystems. However, the phageome of the human gut, while of apparent importance, remains an area of many unknowns. In this paper we discuss the role of bacteriophages within the human gut microbiome. We examine the methods used to study bacteriophage populations, how this evolved over time and what we now understand about the phageome. We review the phageome development in infancy, and factors that may influence phage populations in adult life. The role and action of the phageome is then discussed at both a biological-level, and in the broader context of human health and disease.

AB - The investigation of the microbial populations of the human body, known as the microbiome, has led to a revolutionary field of science, and understanding of its impacts on human development and health. The majority of microbiome research to date has focussed on bacteria and other kingdoms of life, such as fungi. Trailing behind these is the interrogation of the gut viruses, specifically the phageome. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacterial hosts, are known to dictate the dynamics and diversity of bacterial populations in a number of ecosystems. However, the phageome of the human gut, while of apparent importance, remains an area of many unknowns. In this paper we discuss the role of bacteriophages within the human gut microbiome. We examine the methods used to study bacteriophage populations, how this evolved over time and what we now understand about the phageome. We review the phageome development in infancy, and factors that may influence phage populations in adult life. The role and action of the phageome is then discussed at both a biological-level, and in the broader context of human health and disease.

KW - Bacteria

KW - Bacteriophages

KW - Gastrointestinal Microbiome

KW - Humans

KW - Microbiota

KW - Virome

U2 - 10.3389/fcimb.2021.643214

DO - 10.3389/fcimb.2021.643214

M3 - Review article

C2 - 34150671

VL - 11

JO - Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology

JF - Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology

SN - 2235-2988

ER -