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The life on earth is driven by energy, supplied by the tiny organelles of the cell called mitochondria and they are usually stated as the powerhouses of the cell. In population genetics, Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is used extensively to categorize individuals or populations. The mutation sites observed in human mtDNA by comparing with the reference sequence (rCRS) are termed into definite human mtDNA haplogroups. Previous studies showed that mtDNA specific haplogroups and polymorphisms were established to be linked with various human diseases, including cancer in numerous populations. Furthermore, it is also known that several mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms are implicated in enhanced production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) which are known to be an increased risk cause for several cancers, including colorectal cancer in Indian patients. Hence in our study, we made high resolution examination on mtDNA hypervariable region to trace the association of specific mtDNA haplogroup with colorectal cancer in south Indian populations. We report that mtDNA Haplogroup M was observed in 60% of the colorectal cancer patients and around 55% in the studied control samples. Haplogroup M is the most frequent mtDNA cluster found among south Indian populations. We further sub-lineated macro haplogroup M and found sub haplogroups (M8, M7, M6, M5, M3 and M2) in varied frequencies. In particular, we found significant association of haplogroup M5 with colorectal cancer patients (p = 0.026). Haplogroup M5 was observed in 12% of colorectal cancer patients in south Indian patients and in 3.3% of the control populations. These results suggest that individuals with haplogroup M5 may have significant risk to develop colorectal cancer.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) accounts for one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world. Inflammatory molecules modulate tumor microenvironment in BC that promotes tumor growth and metastasis. NF-κB (a transcription factor) that regulates multiple immune functions and acts as a crucial mediator of inflammatory responses. Objective: The present study is aimed to quantitatively summarize the relation of NFKB1-94 ATTG (I, insertion/D, deletion) variant and risk of BC. Methods: Further, the meta-analysis includes three independent case-control investigations that focus on NFKB1-94, ATTG I/D polymorphism, and BC patients. Web of Science, PubMed and Embase databases were used to retrieve relevant data. OR and 95% confidence interval of pooled studies were analyzed by using the MetaGenyo web tool. Results: This study revealed a high heterogeneity. In all three genetic comparison models, the NFKB1-94 ATTG I/D variant is not related to the risk of BC. Further, no publication bias on the connection between NFKB1-94 ATTG I/D variant and risk of BC was observed. Conclusion: To summarize, our meta-analysis demonstrates that the NFKB1-94 ATTG I/D polymorphism is not a major risk factor for BC.

Human beings are home to a massive invisible microbial community, which powers nearly all processes in the body. Bacteria, archaea, viruses, protozoa, and fungi are the most common organisms in or on our bodies. These fascinating microbial species are called our microbiota collectively. The human body includes a wide number of bacteria, both inside and outside. In particular, it is the microbial genome set that leads to an overall human genetic picture. We know very little about how the pendulum between health and illness swings in our microbiome. The diversity and balance of our microbiome and vulnerability to diseases are inextricably linked. Here, we try to consolidate our existing knowledge about microbiome evolution and ecology in future studies, as well as to consider the relationships between host microbiomes and human health and disease. Finally, we highlight modern methods and technology to human health advancement. The present book on microbiomes is therefore intended to give readers a broad understanding and encouragement for future research and multidisciplinary cooperation on the goals and challenges of microbiome research today.

The microbiome is the inherited substance of the numerous microscopic organisms that exist on and within the human body, including bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. The human gut microbiota is dominatingly made out of four groups of microbial phyla: Firmicutes, Bacteroides, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria; this entire microbiome assumes a significant job to the improvement of immunity. However, disruption of this homeostatic host–microorganism relationship can promote disease pathogenesis, such as in autoimmune diseases and cancer. Current investigations additionally show with the intention of the gut microbiome might influence the reaction to cancer treatment, by balancing the host cell inflammatory reaction. As the investigation of the microbiome is growing, various endeavors are being prepared to incline the range on the “ideal” microbiome region. In this regard, this chapter extensively discusses various types of cancers and the role of the microbiome in their treatment.

An established microbiome maintains the homeostasis of the host systems and entails specified tasks in stages of development of the host immune system. Synchrony between the host metabolism and the microbiota is critical for a competent immune system. Clostridium strains have been initiating the production of Tregs, which considerably are recognized to curb induced colitis in the experimental conditions. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a clostridial organism protecting patients from the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The signal transduction pathway of Bacteroides fragilis is known to regulate the production of factors responsible for the differentiation of IL-10 secreting Tregs. Polysaccharide A secreted by Bacteroides fragilis induces Treg cell development utilizing TLR2 signaling pathway. It can also potentiate and trigger the signal transducer of transcription factor 3 –STAT3 and recruit the Th17 cells. The gut biota also is responsible for sustaining the recruitment of Th1/Th17 and protect against pathogens. Studies reveal CD+8 cells delegating cell-mediated response get triggered as part of the skin flora Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Microbial exopolysaccharides are the subject of research in many scientific areas, focusing on elucidating structure-function relationships, identifying novel biosynthetic pathways, and unraveling applications based on their distinct properties. Marine fungi signify a relatively untapped bio-resource for novel exopolysaccharides molecules; however, marine fungi are evidenced with great industrial significance during past decades. High molecular diversity, complexity and growth in unique and extreme habitats make the marine fungi produce unusual exopolysaccharides. However, due to their unique rheological properties, marine fungal exopolysaccharides have found several applications in the environment, food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The current review emphasizes untapped marine fungi focusing on exploring the fungal exopolysaccharides with novel structures and unique functional properties.

Lungs and the other regions of respiratory tract are not sterile. Respiratory system consists of separate and balanced microbial communities called respiratory microbiome. Respiratory microbiome is the set of diverse microbial communities residing on the mucosal surface of respiratory tract. The presence of microbiota in respiratory tract is identified by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and the diversity of microbes in the respiratory tract was clearly understood. Microbiome equilibrium is maintained in healthy state of an individual. The composition of microbiome gets altered during disease. During health conditions the shape of microbiome is maintained by three detrimental factors: microbial immigration, emigration, and relative reproduction of microbes. Sometimes balance among these three factors is disturbed and the constancy of microbiota is affected. This condition is called as respiratory dysbiosis. There are certain factors such as smoking, antibiotics, chronic respiratory disorders (CRDs), and lung transplantation that contribute to imbalance and dynamic change of microbiome in respiratory tract. In this chapter, we discussed briefly the changes in microbial communities in response to these factors.

The application of microbial biosurfactants in environmental technologies is gaining interest due to growing environmental concerns. Recently, immense attention is given to the environmental issues caused by synthetic surfactants owing to their toxicity and complexity in being decomposed in the environment. Microbial biosurfactants are promising because of their biodegradability, low toxicity, and efficacy in increasing biodegradation and solubilization of insoluble compounds at extreme environmental conditions. These molecules are impending substitutes for chemical surfactants in various industrial and environmental applications, such as lubrication, wetting, softening, emulsion forming, stabilization of dispersions, anti-foaming, enhanced oil recovery, as well as bioremediation of oil, heavy metals, pesticides, and organic/inorganic contaminants. The current review emphasizes a comprehensive overview on the environmental applications of biosurfactants and their role in various environmental processes.

The current challenge for effective treatment of gastrointestinal cancer is detection of cancer at an early stage. Detection of gastrointestinal cancer at an early stage requires biomarkers expressing at early stage, biosensors, promising technologies, and computational methods. Therefore, this chapter discusses the role of biomarkers, biosensors, promising technologies, and computational methods which can be used for detection of gastrointestinal cancer. This provides information and new insights which can be used for early detection of gastrointestinal cancer.