Microorganisms as Shapers of Human Civilization, from Pandemics to Even Our Genomes : Villains or Friends? A Historical Approach
Rodríguez Frías, Francisco (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Quer, Josep 1963- (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron. Institut de Recerca)
Tabernero, David (Instituto de Salud Carlos III)
Cortese, Maria Francesca (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron. Institut de Recerca)
García-García, Selene (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron. Institut de Recerca)
Rando-Segura, Ariadna (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Pumarola Suñé, Tomàs (Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron)
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Date:	2021
Abstract:	Universal history is characterized by continuous evolution, in which civilizations are born and die. This evolution is associated with multiple factors, among which the role of microorganisms is often overlooked. Viruses and bacteria have written or decisively contributed to terrible episodes of history, such as the Black Death in 14th century Europe, the annihilation of pre-Columbian American civilizations, and pandemics such as the 1918 Spanish flu or the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, it is clear that we could not live in a world without these tiny beings. Endogenous retroviruses have been key to our evolution and for the regulation of gene expression, and the gut microbiota helps us digest compounds that we could not otherwise process. In addition, we have used microorganisms to preserve or prepare food for millennia and more recently to obtain drugs such as antibiotics or to develop recombinant DNA technologies. Due to the enormous importance of microorganisms for our survival, they have significantly influenced the population genetics of different human groups. This paper will review the role of microorganisms as "villains" who have been responsible for tremendous mortality throughout history but also as "friends" who help us survive and evolve.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Biotechnology ; COVID-19 ; Endogenous retrovirus ; Influenza ; Microbiota ; Pandemics ; Plague ; Population genetics ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Yersinia pestis
Published in:	Microorganisms, Vol. 9 (december 2021) , ISSN 2076-2607

DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122518
PMID: 34946123

54 p, 2.7 MB

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