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The making of the oral microbiome in Agta hunter-gatherers
Title / Series / Name
Publication Volume
Publication Issue
Pages
Editors
Keywords
Neolithic transition
hunter-gatherers
oral microbiome
pathogen transmission
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cultural Studies
Anthropology
Applied Psychology
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
hunter-gatherers
oral microbiome
pathogen transmission
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cultural Studies
Anthropology
Applied Psychology
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14018/26693
Abstract
Ecological and genetic factors have influenced the composition of the human microbiome during our evolutionary history. We analysed the oral microbiota of the Agta, a hunter-gatherer population where some members have adopted an agricultural diet. We show that age is the strongest factor modulating the microbiome, probably through immunosenescence since we identified an increase in the number of species classified as pathogens with age. We also characterised biological and cultural processes generating sexual dimorphism in the oral microbiome. A small subset of oral bacteria is influenced by the host genome, linking host collagen genes to bacterial biofilm formation. Our data also suggest that shifting from a fish/meat diet to a rice-rich diet transforms their microbiome, mirroring the Neolithic transition. All of these factors have implications in the epidemiology of oral diseases. Thus, the human oral microbiome is multifactorial and shaped by various ecological and social factors that modify the oral environment.
Topic
Publisher
Place of Publication
Type
Journal article
Date
2023-05-22
Language
ISBN
Identifiers
10.1017/ehs.2023.9