Human age and skin physiology shape diversity and abundance of Archaea on skin.

ABSTRACT: The human skin microbiome acts as an important barrier protecting our body from pathogens and other environmental influences. Recent investigations have provided evidence that Archaea are a constant but highly variable component of the human skin microbiome, yet factors that determine their abundance changes are unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the abundance of archaea on human skin is influenced by human age and skin physiology by quantitative PCR of 51 different skin samples taken from human subjects of various age. Our results reveal that archaea are more abundant in human subjects either older than 60 years or younger than 12 years as compared to middle-aged human subjects. These results, together with results obtained from spectroscopy analysis, allowed us gain first insig

SUBMITTER: Moissl-Eichinger C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5481324 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature