Quantitative assessment of the human gut microbiome using multitag pyrosequencing

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Human Health

Background:

• The human microbiome plays a crucial role in host health and disease.
• Understanding the microbiome's composition and function is vital for medical advancements.
• Molecular techniques enable in-depth analysis of microbial communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Length Heterogeneity Polymerase Chain Reaction (LH-PCR) and Multitagged Pyrosequencing (MTPS) for microbiome analysis.
• To investigate the gut microbiome in healthy individuals and those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
• To define the composite ecosystem of the human microbiome and host as the Human Metabiome.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Length Heterogeneity Polymerase Chain Reaction (LH-PCR) for sample surveying.
• Employed a proprietary Multitagged Pyrosequencing (MTPS) methodology for detailed gut microbiome interrogation.
• Applied these molecular techniques to study Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patient samples.

Main Results:

• Identified a distinct core mucosal bacterial microbiome (biofilm) separate from the luminal microbiome in healthy states.
• Observed dysbiosis in the mucosal microbiome of individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
• Demonstrated that the mucosal microbiome is stable, while the luminal microbiome is influenced by diet and environment.

Conclusions:

• The human gut harbors distinct mucosal and luminal microbial communities.
• Mucosal microbiome dysbiosis is associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
• Proposed the term 'Human Metabiome' for the integrated human-microbiome ecosystem.