1) The first sentence of the paper states "There is increasing appreciation of the key role that the intestinal microbiota play in preventing the colonization and overgrowth of pathogens." List and describe several ways the normal microbiota prevent such colonization and overgrowth. From the perspective of the microbiota, what is the purpose of them playing such roles? 3 points

Ways through which normal microbiota prevent colonization entail; oxygen tension reduction, PH alteration, and virulence inhibition.

Ways through which normal microbiota prevent overgrowth entail; intestinal niche localization, metabolic completive interactions initiation and induction of the immune responses of the host.

Step-by-step explanation

Prevention of colonization;

Oxygen tension reduction-micro biota limits the oxygen available to pathogens wishing to colonize body organs like the gut and the windpipe, thus suffocating them and killing them, preventing the domination of such pathogens in the body.

Reduction of PH- the microbiota, as defined by its role in the body of homeostasis, regulates the optimal PH crucial for metabolism processes but create extreme and unbearable PH conditions (of acidity and base) for the pathogens, thus ensuring that they do not colonize the body organs.

Virulence inhibition-virulence describes the mechanism of the microorganism/pathogens overcoming the defence mechanism of the host, thus adversely affecting the body's functioning (Uribe et al.., 2018). The microbiota thus initiates mechanisms to prevent such as defined by their role in immunology

Prevention of overgrowth;

Intestinal niche colonization-pathogens tend to take advantage of body parts that are vulnerable to attacks and on which the immunity is compromised where they establish their families ready for differentiation. Micro biota thus occupies such positions inhibiting attachment of pathogens to such gaps.

Metabolic competitive interactions-the microbiota is actively involved in the process of differentiation and growth, replacing the old ones with new ones. They do so at a very fast rate such that their metabolic activities suppressing those of pathogens hence creating no room for overgrowing.

Induction of the immune responses of the host-just like the antibodies, microbiota have their own mechanism of providing immunity to the body. They, therefore, release mechanism to counteract the effects of pathogens on detection of them as foreign substances in the body, thus directly killing some of them and prevent overgrowing.

Purpose of microbiota in playing such roles;

Such roles provide immunity to the body against pathogens like the virulence inhibition and induction of the immune response of the host. Likewise, they enhance homeostatic functions in the body. This is achieved through the PH regulation in an effort to prevent colonization, thus maintaining PH levels at optimal. They also ensure the body is active through their increased metabolic activities to compete with those of the pathogens.