470: Super Small Symbionts Soothe Symptoms

This episode: Tiny bacteria that live on larger bacteria reduce
the inflammation and gum disease the bigger microbes cause in the
mouths of mice!


Download Episode (6.3 MB, 9.2 minutes)

Show notes:
Microbe of the episode: Actinomadura viridilutea


 



Takeaways



Even bacteria can be hosts to smaller symbionts living on
them. Some kinds of these extremely tiny bacteria live in
various parts of our bodies, and are sometimes associated
with inflammation and the resulting disease. But being
associated with something isn't necessarily the same as
causing that thing.

In this study, tiny bacteria living on other bacteria in the
mouths of mice were found to reduce the inflammation caused
by their bacterial hosts, resulting in less gum disease and
bone loss in the jaw. Even when the tiny bacteria were no
longer present, their former bacterial hosts were still less
disruptive to the mouse mouth.


 
Journal Paper:
Chipashvili O, Utter DR, Bedree JK, Ma Y, Schulte F, Mascarin
G, Alayyoubi Y, Chouhan D, Hardt M, Bidlack F, Hasturk H, He X,
McLean JS, Bor B. 2021. Episymbiotic Saccharibacteria
suppresses gingival inflammation and bone loss in mice through
host bacterial modulation. Cell Host Microbe 29:1649-1662.e7.



Other interesting stories:



Anti-tumor bacteria: engineered E. coli colonizes tumors
and attracts immune response

Cats have skin bacteria that could inhibit drug resistant
pathogens




 


Email questions or comments to bacteriofiles at gmail dot
com. Thanks for listening!


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