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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Sample Preparation to Bioinformatics Analysis of DNA Methylation: Association Strategy for Obesity and Related Trait Studies
Published on: May 6, 2022
Gut bacteria alteration in obese people and its relationship with gene polymorphism
Hao-Jiang Zuo1, Zhi-Mei Xie, Wei-Wei Zhang
1Department of Medical Technology, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Aim:
To investigate the differences in cultivable gut bacteria and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2 (PPAR-γ2) gene Pro12Ala variation in obese and normal-weight Chinese people.
Methods:
Using culture methods, the amounts of Escherichia coli, Enterococci, Bacteroides, Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria and Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) in the feces of 52 obese participants [body mass index (BMI): ≥ 28 kg/m(2)] and 52 participants of normal-weight (BMI: 18.5-24 kg/m(2)) were obtained. Study participants completed comprehensive questionnaires and underwent clinical laboratory tests. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-PFLP) assay was used to analyze PPAR-γ2 gene Pro12Ala variation.
Results:
The obese group exhibited a lower amount of C. perfringens (6.54 ± 0.65 vs 6.94 ± 0.57, P = 0.001) and Bacteroides (9.81 ± 0.58 vs 10.06 ± 0.39, P = 0.012) than their normal-weight counterparts. No major differences were observed in Pro12Ala genotype distribution between the two groups; however, obese individuals with a Pro/Ala genotype had a significantly lower level of Bacteroides (9.45 ± 0.62 vs 9.93 ± 0.51, P = 0.027) than those with a Pro/Pro genotype. In addition, the obese group demonstrated a higher stool frequency (U = 975, P < 0.001) and a looser stool (U = 1062, P = 0.015) than the normal-weight group.
Conclusion:
Our results indicated interactions among cultivable gut flora, host genetic factors and obese phenotype and this might be helpful for obesity prevention.
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