Our Microbiome, an incredible chemical environment and battlefield!
Please consider.
Our microbiome has many times more cells and diverse DNA, from bacteria, and yeasts, just in the gut than from all the cells that make up our bodies.
The microbiome is an incredible, intelligent, chemistry-making environment as well as a battlefield between competing species and our host immunity deeply involving our intrinsic tissue competence that determines our health, longevity, vitality, neurological/cognitive function, and quality of life.
The next two articles will discuss this in a general manner.
The first is laying out the groundwork with some discussion of the development of biofilms, and the next, is the remarkable innate intelligence of microorganisms called “quorum sensing”.
Perhaps a rather esoteric topic, but here is the reality, if we speak of wellness and a healthy microbiome, or states of disease and infection, or tooth decay, or even with some viruses, we need some understanding of the role of biofilms:
Biofilms are fascinating and have complex roles with themselves, between other bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and the host.
Bacterial cells are embedded in their self-created matrix of extracellular polymeric protective compounds that adhere to surfaces.
–kind of a sticky gel-like shield and defensive habitat material.
Biofilms are more typically related bacterial communities of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria that are part of our living environment as well as residents and/or adversaries within our microbiome.
Gram Positive bacteria, which means that their thick biofilm coating, can register purple from a special dye.
The biofilm from Gram Positive bacteria, like most probiotics, creates a thick coating called ESP (exopolysaccharide)–a glycolipid substance of various constituents depending on the bacteria in question.
Gram Negative bacteria, which has a thinner biofilm capsule, and does not register a color upon colorimetric testing, but has a thick secondary coating called LPS Lipoprotein Saccharide—that means a fatty acid connecting chain to the saccharide.
LPS fragments that get absorbed systemically, can create endotoxins and significant immune and autoimmune response that is often manifested in disease and even deadly sepsis.
Most probiotics are Gram Positive; however, a healthy microbiome will typically have a combination of Gram-Positive and negative bacteria that remains safe and contained if the gut lining is healthy.
However, good, health-promoting bacteria in our gut flora and probiotics create their own biofilm which is very active–not a passive structure.
So, biofilms are not necessarily always a “bad thing”.
.The biofilm is a means for protection, growth, greater colonization, and the exchange of nutrients.
The layers also have immunoregulatory activities as well as the creation of various antioxidant compounds.
When you consume the BC probiotic, it is primarily an aerobic probiotic, and thus most active in the upper gut, duodenum where oxygen is still present.
Researchers at the Institute Pasteur and CNRS have shown for the first time that certain viruses can form complex biofilm-like assemblies, like bacterial biofilms.
These extracellular infectious structures may protect viruses from the immune system and enable them to spread efficiently from cell to cell.
“Viral biofilms” would appear to be a major mechanism of propagation for certain viruses. They are therefore emerging as new and particularly attractive therapeutic targets.
There are studies of the interaction of Covid-19 with bacterial biofilms which have significant therapeutic ramifications–a whole other story!
Now even more fun and complex, yeasts which inhabit our GI tract, create biofilms and they also have communication between themselves and with bacteria.
So, yeasts create their own biofilms, or they meld together with bacteria—one helping the other!
Candida albicans Biofilms and Human Disease
Clarissa J Nobile 1, Alexander D Johnson
Bacteria and Fungi Promote Coaggregation and Formation of Mixed-Species Biofilms
Both singly and together, bacteria and fungi form highly structured, often surface-associated, communities termed biofilms. A significant proportion of human microbial infections are biofilm-associated, wherein the formation of mixed-species biofilms could create a protected environment that allows for survival from external assaults and facilitates different bacterial-fungal interactions [1], [2]. The known relationships between C. albicans and oral streptococci illustrate the various ways by which bacteria and fungi can attach to one another or coaggregation using specific cell surface factors, leading to mixed-species biofilms [2], [7].
Especially problematic is C. Albicans (Thrush, Candidiasis, yeast vaginitis, systemic invasion particularly with diabetes, overuse antibiotics, poor sugary diets, etc.) that can superimpose secondary infections and be opportunistic when FIRST the intestinal environment becomes undermined and unsuitable for it then stimulates its growth and proliferation.
Now a therapeutic dilemma—if I use antibiotics to kill bacteria, then it provokes more yeast!
But not always!
Creating an environment and having the production of short-chain fatty acids when healthy by the host flora, and here prebiotics as in soluble fiber essential for the creation of SCFAs (butyric, acetic, propionate) holds the yeast in check with perhaps antifungal medications or botanicals.
Quite interesting are early reports that Bacillus Coagulans, spore bacteria, have been shown as well with patient testimonials in being very effective against yeasts.