T E A M 1

Microbial ecology of
the skin in the era of
metagenomics and
molecular
microbiology
Q I 4 0 1
01 Introduction
The dawning of the molecular microbiology
02 era

03 The skin microbiome in health

04 Skin microbiome in disease

Diagnostic and therapeutic potential of the
05 microbiome in skin disease

06 Conclusion
Introduction
The skin serves as a physical barrier between the body and the
external environment.
Recent advances in genomic technologies have enabled the
development of culture-independent.
The skin microbiome is a complex ecosystem that maintains
topographically distinct microbial populations.
This knowledge influences the diagnosis and management of skin
diseases.
The dawning of
the molecular
microbiology
era
The study of the human skin
microbiota has a rich history
spanning over five decades
(Marples 1965).
The first methods for studying
bacteria, fungi, and viruses
associated with the skin limited
themselves to cultivating the
microorganism and defining
their phylogeny and taxonomy.
• Culture-based virus studies are further
limited because they require co-
cultivation with their prokaryotes or
eukaryotic hosts.
• Viruses are also not easily visible by
basic microscopic methods
• Although great intuition in microbial
colonization of skin surfaces in health
and disease was obtained using
culture-dependent methods.
Covid -19 on the skin
• Advances in DNA sequencing technology and the
identification of microbial-independent culture methods have
enabled detailed, high-throughput characterization of
microbial communities.
• Are based on marker gene surveys.
• Bacterial communities are most commonly classified by the
sequence of their small 16S ribosomal subunit RNA (rRNA)
gene.
• Contain both conserved regions, allowing for PCR primer
ligation and phylogenetic analysis.

Problem
Closely related groups can be analyzed
phylogenetically
The analysis is complicated by high-
frequency gene transfer between virus
and host genomes
Solution
Is to use whole-genome shotgun
metagenomics, but rather allow for
sequencing and analysis of the entire
genetic potential of the sample.
Also, provide insight into what
microbial communities are doing on
the skin's surface.
• Fungi are often classified by
sequencing (ITS) region
• Conserved gene sequence analysis
does not require the
microorganism to be cultured
• Viruses and bacteriophages
present a special difficulty
because they do not contain a
consensus gene
The skin
microbiome in
heatlh
The skin microbioma is diverse

• Staphylococcus
• Propionibacterium
• Corynebacterium
Firmicutes in skin microbiome are
associated with age
• In sebaceous sites
predominated
propionibacterium and
staphylococcus
• In Moist sites predominated
corynebacterium and
staphylococcus
• In dry sites there are
presence of b-proteobacteria
and flavobacterias.
Skin
microbiome
in disease
Atopic Dermatitis
Is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin
disease that occurs more frequently in
children than in adults, and has been
associated with staphylococcal aureus
colonization of the skin. Although a clear
microbial cause has not been established.
Psoriasis
Multiple clinical observations support the role
of skin microbiota dysbiosis in the
pathogenesis of psoriasis, including the
clinical efficacy of topical corticosteroids in
the treatment of psoriasis and the observation
that a variant of plaque and guttate psoriasis
has been triggered by streptococcus infection.
Acne Vulgaris
Is a common skin disorder
characterized by abnormalities in the
production of desire by the
pilosebaceous unit, bacterial
proliferation, and inflammation.
Dandruff
Malassezia fungi were proposed as
the primary cause of dandruff in
1874, and this idea is still prevalent
today.
The study also reported that dandruff-afflicted skin harbored
increased relative abundances of Penicillium and Filoblasidium
floriforme that correlated with increased severity of dandruff.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Is a rare but agressive malignant,
neuroendocrine tumor that has been
increasing in incidence in past decades.
Investigation into the virus’s role in health and disease has
shown that MCPyVs are members of the commensal skin
viral communities, are often asymptomatically carried,
and can be shed from the skin as assembled virus
particles.
DIAGNOSTIC AND
THERAPEUTIC
POTENTIAL OF
THE MICROBIOME
IN SKIN DISEASE
Probiotics, live microorganisms or
microorganism components that
confer health benefits, have long
been administered therapeutically
and prophylactically to the
gastrointestinal tract, even before
their mechanism was known.
Another microbiome-related approach to treating the
disease may be the use of prebiotics, which consist of
substrates that promote the metabolic activity of
beneficial indigenous microbiota.

Current prebiotics are primarily

associated with ingestion and
consequent manipulation of the gut
microbiom.
Therapeutic approaches based on the microbiome
DISEASE
THERAPEUTIC SUMMARY
TARGET EXAMPLE

ATOPIC ADMINISTRATION
PROBIOTICS
DERMATITIS OF MICROORGANISMS, OR THEIR COMPONENTS, TO CONFER HEALTH BENEFITS.

ADMINISTRATION
ATOPIC OF A SUBSTANCE TO PROMOTE GROWTH AND/OR ACTION OF THERAPEUTICALLY
PREBIOTICS
DERMATITIS BENEFICIAL
INDIGENOUS MICROBES.

INHIBITION OF
BACTERIA-
VIBRIO PATHOGEN VIRULENCE BY ADMINISTRATING BACTERIA ENGINEERED TO EXPRESS
MEDIATED
CHOLERA INFECTION GENES
GENE DELIVERY
ABSENT FROM THE COMMENSAL COMMUNITY
 REDUCTION IN
BACTERIOPHAGE-
ANTIBIOTIC- ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA POPULATIONS BY USING BACTERIOPHAGE TO
MEDIATED
RESISTANT DELIVER
ANTIBIOTIC
BACTERIA GENE CONSTRUCTS THAT PROMOTE EVOLUTION TOWARD ANTIBIOTIC
SUSCEPTIBILITY
SUSCEPTIBILITY

USE OF
BACTERIOPHAGE
P. ACNES BACTERIOPHAGE PEPTIDES, SUCH AS ENDOLYSIN, WHICH PROMOTES BACTERIA
ANTIMICROBIAL
INFECTION LYSIS
PEPTIDES
DURING THE LYTIC BACTERIOPHAGE LIFE CYCLE, AGAINST BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.

ADMINISTRATION
DIRECT ESCHERICHIA
OF BACTERIOPHAGES, WHICH CAN BE ENGINEERED TO EXPRESS ENZYMES FOR
BACTERIOPHAGE COLI BIOFILM
BIOFILM
THERAPY INFECTIONS
DESTRUCTION, TO COMBAT BIOFILM-FORMING BACTERIA INFECTIONS
An in-depth understanding of the human skin
microbiota may also have important implications in
informing synthetic biology therapeutics.

For example, comparative genomic analysis of P.

acnes bacteriophage genomes led to the discovery of
a highly conserved gene-encoding endolysin, an
enzyme with broad lytic potential for P. acnes hosts.
CONCLUDIN
G REMARKS
The skin acts as both a protective physical barrier between
the body and the external environment, as well as an
environmental substrate that harbors rich and diverse
communities of microorganisms that contribute to skin
health and disease.
Bibliografía
HANNIGAN, G. D., & GRICE, E. A. (2013). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY OF THE
SKIN IN THE ERA OF METAGENOMICS AND MOLECULAR
MICROBIOLOGY. COLD SPRING HARBOR PERSPECTIVES IN MEDICINE,
3(12), A015362. HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.1101/CSHPERSPECT.A015362
Gracias!