Mini presentation on current news stories for BIOL 415 This news article was about a journal article published in Nature Communications on April 15, 2014. The article is the result of research that was led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. The purpose of the research was to study the co-evolution of humans and gut microbiota and examine adaptation that resulted in groups that had different diets. The primary group of interest was a hunter-gatherer group located in Tanzania known as Hadza. This is one of the few remaining true foraging populations in the world. The Hadza diet consists of baobab, game meat, honey, berries and tubers. Hadza do not consume any agricultural crops or livestock.

1. Supra-Organism:
Co-Evolution of You and Your Bacteria
Kevin Hugins
Biology 415
Spring 2014

2. The microbiome of the human intestinal tract plays an
important role in overall health and nutrition.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/microbes/img/05-intestinal-bacteria-670.jpg
“Together, the host and
microbiome have been
termed a ‘supra-
organism’ whose
combined activities
represent both a shared
target for natural
selection and a driver
of adaptive responses.”
In the article “Gut microbiome of the Hadza hunter-
gatherers” Schnorr, S. L. et al. state:
Co-Evolution

3. The Hadza are hunter/gatherers in Tanzania. Their diet
consists of: ● Meat
● Baobab
● Fruit
● Honey
● Tubers
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
PUY1zmx1IZk/TfS3lRJvl3I/AAAAAAAAACY/7YhQ9i9NgtM/s1600/P1000
494.JPG
http://blog.enchanting-travels.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2013/10/580-P9250033.jpeg
http://www.rawpaleodietforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=4641.0;attach=7288;image

4. The study showed that Hadza intestinal flora differ
significantly and is more diverse than other
populations.
http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140415/ncomms4654/fig_tab/ncomms4654_F6.html
But, even more significant was the discovery that
Hadza men and women have different microboita
from each other.

5. Hadza had low levels of
Bifidobacterium which is
considered “healthy” in western
cultures.
But had high levels of Treponema
which is associated with disease
in western cultures.
Treponema is believed to make
nutrients available from fibrous
foods.
http://www.scienceknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/A-
species-of-bifidobacteria-Bifidobacterium-animalis..jpg
http://dm5migu4zj3pb.cloudfront.net/manuscripts/12000/12484/medium/J
CI0112484.f1.jpg

6. This study has provided new insights into how humans
and our gut microbiota have evolved together to adapt to
our environment and available nutrients.
And reminds us that
we, and our bacteria,
have co-evolved for a
new type of diet…...
http://i1.wp.com/www.healthhabits.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/paleo-diet-21st-century-book-cover.jpg

7. References:
1. Schnorr, S. L. et al. Gut microbiome of the Hadza hunter-gatherers. Nat. Commun.
5:3654 doi: 10.1038/ncomms4654 (2014). Retrieved April 15, 2014 from
http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140415/ncomms4654/full/ncomms4654.html
2. Max-Planck-Gesellschaft. (2014, April 15). Lifestyle determines gut microbes: Study
with modern hunter-gatherers tells tale of bacteria co-evolution. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved April 15, 2014 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140415133924.htm