Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2025
Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
Published on: February 7, 2025
Birthmode and environment-dependent microbiota transmission dynamics are complemented by breastfeeding during the
Marta Selma-Royo1, Léonard Dubois2, Serena Manara2
1Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Valencia, Spain; Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
Insights
Birth environment and delivery mode influence infant gut microbiota transmission. Breastfeeding impacts specific species like Bifidobacterium longum, affecting their human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) degrading abilities.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Human Microbiome
- Infant Health
Background:
- Early-life microbiota development is crucial for infant health.
- Perinatal factors significantly influence microbial colonization.
- The interplay between birth environment and vertical transmission requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mother-to-infant microbiota transmission across different birth settings.
- To understand the impact of delivery mode and place of birth on transmission dynamics.
- To analyze strain-level variations and their association with infant feeding practices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized advanced strain-tracking methodologies.
- Compared microbiota transmission in hospital-born (vaginal/cesarean) and home-born (vaginal) infants and their mothers.
- Performed strain-level analysis of Bifidobacterium longum.
Main Results:
- Delivery mode dictates initial microbiota composition, while place of birth affects transmission timing (early for homebirths, delayed for cesarean births).
- Certain species, including Bifidobacterium longum, show consistent vertical transmission across settings.
- Breastfeeding practices drive subspecies replacement in Bifidobacterium longum, influencing human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) degradation capabilities.
Conclusions:
- Delivery setting, breastfeeding, and lifestyle collectively shape infant gut colonization.
- Understanding these factors is key to optimizing early-life microbial development.
- Strain-level analysis provides critical insights into microbial adaptation and function in the infant gut.
Abstract:
The composition and maturation of the early-life microbiota are modulated by a number of perinatal factors, whose interplay in relation to microbial vertical transmission remains inadequately elucidated. Using recent strain-tracking methodologies, we analyzed mother-to-infant microbiota transmission in two different birth environments: hospital-born (vaginal/cesarean) and home-born (vaginal) infants and their mothers. While delivery mode primarily explains initial compositional differences, place of birth impacts transmission timing-being early in homebirths and delayed in cesarean deliveries. Transmission patterns vary greatly across species and birth groups, yet certain species, like Bifidobacterium longum, are consistently vertically transmitted regardless of delivery setting. Strain-level analysis of B. longum highlights relevant and consistent subspecies replacement patterns mainly explained by breastfeeding practices, which drive changes in human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) degrading capabilities. Our findings highlight how delivery setting, breastfeeding duration, and other lifestyle preferences collectively shape vertical transmission, impacting infant gut colonization during early life.
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