The evolution and changing ecology of the African hominid oral microbiome

2021/05/10 by James A. Fellows Yates, Irina M. Velsko, Franziska Aron +46 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Dentistry · Medicine · #Gut microbiota and health #Oral microbiology and periodontitis research #Salivary Gland Disorders and Functions

paper · pdf · doi:10.1073/pnas.2021655118

openalex publication_date 2021/05/10 · openalex created_date 2021/05/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Significance The microbiome plays key roles in human health, but little is known about its evolution. We investigate the evolutionary history of the African hominid oral microbiome by analyzing dental biofilms of humans and Neanderthals spanning the past 100,000 years and comparing them with those of chimpanzees, gorillas, and howler monkeys. We identify 10 core bacterial genera that have been maintained within the human lineage and play key biofilm structural roles. However, many remain understudied and unnamed. We find major taxonomic and functional differences between the oral microbiomes of Homo and chimpanzees but a high degree of similarity between Neanderthals and modern humans, including an apparent Homo -specific acquisition of starch digestion capability in oral streptococci, suggesting microbial coadaptation with host diet.

Citations

• The Expensive-Tissue Hypothesis: The Brain and the Digestive System in Human and Primate Evolution
• Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity
• Upper Palaeolithic Siberian genome reveals dual ancestry of Native Americans
• Global Burden of Untreated Caries
• Ancient human microbiomes
• Diet-induced extinctions in the gut microbiota compound over generations
• Neanderthal behaviour, diet, and disease inferred from ancient DNA in dental calculus
• Rethinking the starch digestion hypothesis for AMY1 copy number variation in humans
• Extensive Unexplored Human Microbiome Diversity Revealed by Over 150,000 Genomes from Metagenomes Spanning Age, Geography, and Lifestyle
• Independent amylase gene copy number bursts correlate with dietary preferences in mammals
• Oral Microbiome Geography: Micron-Scale Habitat and Niche

Cited by

• Archaeogenetics reconstructs demography and extreme parental consanguinity in a Bronze Age community from Southern Italy

Discussions

• Originalstudie: J. A. Fellows Yates et al., The #evolution and changing #ecology of the African #hominid oral #microbiome, @PNASNews 118 (20), 2021, e2021655118. 🔓 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2021 [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]