Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026

A Double Humanized BLT-mice Model Featuring a Stable Human-Like Gut Microbiome and Human Immune System
Published on: August 30, 2019
Exploring Linkages between Taxonomic and Functional Profiles of the Human Microbiome
1Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Abstract:
Microbiome studies typically focus on characterizing the taxonomic and functional profiles of the microbes within a community. Functional profiling is generally thought to be superior to taxonomic profiling for investigating human-microbe interactions, but there are several limitations and challenges to existing approaches. This Perspective discusses the current sequencing and bioinformatic methods for producing taxonomic and functional profiles, recent studies utilizing and comparing these technologies, and the existing challenges and limitations of these data. In addition, functional versus taxonomic conservation across the population is questioned, while future research that focuses on investigating the taxonomic diversity of microbial functions is proposed.
Related Concept Videos
Phosphodiester Linkages
Phosphodiester bond forms when a phosphoric acid molecule (H3PO4) links with two hydroxyl groups (–OH) of two other molecules, forming two ester bonds. Two water molecules are released in this process. The phosphodiester bond is commonly found in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and plays a critical role in their structure and function.
Phosphodiester Bonds Link Nucleotides Together
DNA and RNA are polynucleotides or long chains of nucleotides that are linked together. A nucleotide is...
Ligand Binding and Linkage
Ligand Binding and Linkage
Compounds Essential to Human Function
Inorganic Compounds Essential to Human Functioning
Inorganic compounds essential to human functioning include water, salts, acids, and bases. These compounds are inorganic, i.e., they do not have a carbon-hydrogen bond. Water...
Ribosome Profiling
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique...
Functional Groups

