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Longitudinal analysis and genotyping of infant dominant bifidobacterial populations

J Aires1, M Thouverez, S Allano

  • 1Université Paris Descartes, EA4065, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Paris, France. julio.aires@parisdescartes.fr

Systematic and Applied Microbiology
|June 18, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Infant gut bifidobacteria populations fluctuate significantly over short periods. This dynamic turnover, even within species, impacts understanding of gut health and dietary interventions like probiotics.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Human Microbiome Research

Background:

  • Bifidobacteria are key commensal bacteria in the infant gut microbiome.
  • Understanding bifidobacterial population dynamics is crucial for infant gut health.
  • Longitudinal studies are needed to capture the transient nature of gut microbial populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the population dynamics of dominant bifidobacteria in young infants.
  • To determine if bifidobacterial populations change over a five-week period.
  • To assess shifts at both species and strain levels within individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal fecal sampling from 15 infants over five weeks.
  • Molecular identification and fingerprinting of isolated bifidobacterial strains.
  • Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for strain-level comparison and identity confirmation.

Main Results:

  • Significant turnover of dominant bifidobacteria observed within individuals.
  • Changes occurred at both the species and specific strain representative levels.
  • Suggests a dynamic and fluctuating bifidobacterial community in infant guts.

Conclusions:

  • Infant bifidobacterial populations exhibit considerable in vivo dynamics.
  • Population fluctuations must be considered for accurate assessment of dietary impacts (probiotics, prebiotics).
  • Highlights the complexity of the infant intestinal ecosystem and microbial interactions.

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