Comparing Published Gut Microbiome Taxonomic Data Across Multinational Studies

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Genomic analysis
• Nursing science

Background:

• Nurse researchers are positioned to investigate the microbiome's role in health and disease.
• Analyzing existing microbiome studies aids in designing new research and forming hypotheses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline key analysis considerations for microbiome study planning.
• To identify common bacterial genera across diverse microbiome studies.
• To provide a workflow for nurse scientists to evaluate taxonomy tables for research proposals.

Main Methods:

• Compiled taxonomy tables from 13 published gut microbiome studies using Ion Torrent sequencing.
• Focused on studies amplifying multiple 16S rRNA gene hypervariable (V) regions from healthy gut samples.

Main Results:

• Analyzed 15 taxonomy tables from studies across four continents and eight V regions.
• Identified 25 bacterial genera consistently found across all V regions and continents.
• Observed variations in Dorea and Roseburia abundances across V regions; Prevotella and Bacteroides abundances differed between Asian and Western populations.

Conclusions:

• Evaluating prior microbiome data is crucial for effective study design.
• Geographic location and V region choice significantly impact microbiome study outcomes.
• The 25 shared genera may represent core members of a healthy gut microbiome.
• Informed research proposal planning is enabled by understanding factors influencing microbiome study results.