MARINE INGREDIENTS
Marine holobionts: Novel multi-functionals
Dr Juan Pablo de la Roche, Arancha Barata, Irene Cordón, Pedro Luis Galán - Microalgae Solutions
Holism is a philosophical notion first proposed by Aristotle in the 4th century BCE. It states that systems should be studied in their entirety, with a focus on the interconnections between their various components rather than on the individual parts. Such systems have emergent properties that result from the behaviour of a system that is greater than the sum of its parts. The key to life is cooperation. From the most
primitive photosynthetic life forms through plant and animal organisms, each individual (or macrobiont) is the host that harbours and cooperate with its microbiota. As a whole, each organism is a unique biological functional entity, a system, and must be studied as such. Almost half a century ago, Lin Margulis coined
the concept of a ‘holobiont’, a superorganism composed of a macrobiont and its own microbiota. The concept is a renewed paradigm in biology that can help to describe and understand these complex systems. Although initially driven by studies of marine
organisms, much of the research on the emerging properties and significance of holobionts has since been carried out in other fields of research: the microbiota of the rhizosphere of plants or the animal gut became predominant models and have led to an ongoing paradigm shift in agronomy and medical sciences.1 We find all kinds of holobionts in nature. Each
cell of marine phytoplankton is surrounded by a microenvironment called the phycosphere, where it interacts closely with its microbiota; on land, plants create the rhizosphere in their roots, where they harbour their microbiota; and human beings live with their microbiota on the skin, in an intimate environment called the dermosphere. (Figure 1). Phytoplankton, plants and human holobionts have surprising things in common. Firstly, they
all develop an intimate microenvironment of interaction, where a fascinating metabolic exchange takes place: the phycosphere, the rhizosphere and the dermosphere, respectively. The macrobiont chemically alters the
microenvironment by modifying oxygen and pH levels, releasing nutritive organic compounds and producing chemoattractants, such as amino acids, carbohydrates, sugar alcohols and organic acids, to favour the colonisation of the microbiota. The microbiota, for its part, provides a series of metabolites that help train the immune system of the macrobiont, as well as supplying vitamins and metabolising organic compounds. The most striking and fascinating thing
is that, whatever the holobiont, nature has chosen a microbiota composed of very similar microbial families. The ocean and the land have a homology of about 70% with our own microbiome. For example, Lactobacillus bacteria and ammonia-oxidising and -nitrifying bacteria both help restore a healthy skin microbiome. These bacteria have populated not only our skin microbiome naturally, but also that of the land and ocean organisms.2
Marine holobionts tales Host-microbe interactions play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. Sponges and corals sustain entire ecosystems through their participation in nutrient cycling by their microbial partners. Corals provide ammonia compounds and zooxanthellae microalgae provide carbohydrates to corals. The sponges metabolise organic compounds for their microbiota and the microbiota provide vitamins. As entities, these holobionts help to regulate the flux of nutrients in coral reef ecosystems. Phytoplankton have 2.7 billion years of metabolic experience. More than 326 species
ABSTRACT
Holism is a philosophical notion that states that systems should be studied in their entirety, with a focus on the interconnections between their various components rather than on the individual parts. The holobiont concept unifies the host-microbiota interaction and invites us to seek holistic solutions for skin health and skin microbiota. In this article we dive into the origin of this concept and the connection between the marine and human holobionts. We also present for the first time a new multifunctional cosmetic ingredient based on the molecular richness of holobionts and the ubiquity of molecules that nature has left us as a gift to combine health and beauty.
of phytoplankton depend on the B-complex vitamins provided by their microbiota for their growth. In return, their microbiota receives carbohydrates. In some cases, the bacteria also act as a defensive shield against reactive oxygen species. At the systemic level, a state of equilibrium
(eubiosis) in the phytoplankton holobiont is essential for their own survival and for life on Earth: they are the first link in the food chain, regulate the nutrient cycle in the oceans and play a role in balancing the climate3
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(Figure 2).
The problem Under ideal conditions, our skin can maintain eubiosis and be protected against the impact of external factors, such as UV radiation (UVR), pollutants and pathogen agents, and internal physiological states resulting from, among other causes, chronic conditions, oxidative stress or genetic predisposition. Almost 54% of the world’s population live in
Marine phytoplankton holobiont
Vegetal holobiont Figure 1: Holobiont conceptual model: From marine to human holobiont
www.personalcaremagazine.com Human holobiont
cities, where we are subjected to urban pollution, overexposure to UVR, stress and industrial food. In these circumstances, our own health and that of our microbiota can be affected. Extensive scientific evidence reveals that an imbalance in the composition of our skin microbiota (dysbiosis) affects skin barrier function. It is intimately related to premature ageing and all kinds of skin diseases and conditions, including atopic dermatitis, acne and psoriasis. Dysbiosis states can be reverted to a eubiosis state by maintaining a healthier lifestyle and
April 2022 PERSONAL CARE
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