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Berman HL, Goltsman DSA, Anderson M, Relman DA, Callahan BJ. Gardnerella diversity and ecology in pregnancy and preterm birth. mSystems 2024; 9:e0133923. [PMID: 38752784 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01339-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The vaginal microbiome has been linked to negative health outcomes including preterm birth. Specific taxa, including Gardnerella spp., have been identified as risk factors for these conditions. Historically, microbiome analysis methods have treated all Gardnerella spp. as one species, but the broad diversity of Gardnerella has become more apparent. We explore the diversity of Gardnerella clades and genomic species in the vaginal microbiome of pregnant women and their associations with microbiome composition and preterm birth. Relative abundance of Gardnerella clades and genomic species and other taxa was quantified in shotgun metagenomic sequencing data from three distinct cohorts of pregnant women. We also assessed the diversity and abundance of Gardnerella variants in 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data from seven previously conducted studies in differing populations. Individual microbiomes often contained multiple Gardnerella variants, and the number of clades was associated with increased microbial load, or the ratio of non-human reads to human reads. Taxon co-occurrence patterns were largely consistent across Gardnerella clades and among cohorts. Some variants previously described as rare were prevalent in other cohorts, highlighting the importance of surveying a diverse set of populations to fully capture the diversity of Gardnerella. The diversity of Gardnerella both across populations and within individual vaginal microbiomes has long been unappreciated, as has been the intra-species diversity of many other members of the vaginal microbiome. The broad genomic diversity of Gardnerella has led to its reclassification as multiple species; here we demonstrate the diversity of Gardnerella found within and between vaginal microbiomes.IMPORTANCEThe present study shows that single microbiomes can contain all currently known species of Gardnerella and that multiple similar species can exist within the same environment. Furthermore, surveys of demographically distinct populations suggest that some species appear more commonly in certain populations. Further studies in broad and diverse populations will be necessary to fully understand the ecological roles of each Gardnerella sp., how they can co-exist, and their distinct impacts on microbial communities, preterm birth, and other health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna L Berman
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Daniela S Aliaga Goltsman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Megan Anderson
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - David A Relman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Infectious Diseases Section, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Benjamin J Callahan
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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2
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Weng TH, Huang KY, Jhong JH, Kao HJ, Chen CH, Chen YC, Weng SL. Microbiome analysis of maternal and neonatal microbial communities associated with the different delivery modes based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol 2023; 62:687-696. [PMID: 37678996 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjog.2023.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE With the rising number of cases of non-vaginal delivery worldwide, scientists have been concerned about the influence of the different delivery modes on maternal and neonatal microbiomes. Although the birth rate trend is decreasing rapidly in Taiwan, more than 30 percent of newborns are delivered by caesarean section every year. However, it remains unclear whether the different delivery modes could have a certain impact on the postpartum maternal microbiome and whether it affects the mother-to-newborn vertical transmission of bacteria at birth. MATERIALS AND METHODS To address this, we recruited 30 mother-newborn pairs to participate in this study, including 23 pairs of vaginal delivery (VD) and seven pairs of caesarean section (CS). We here investigate the development of the maternal prenatal and postnatal microbiomes across multiple body habitats. Moreover, we also explore the early acquisition of neonatal gut microbiome through a vertical multi-body site microbiome analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The results indicate that no matter the delivery mode, it only slightly affects the maternal microbiome in multiple body habitats from pregnancy to postpartum. On the other hand, about 95% of species in the meconium microbiome were derived from one of the maternal body habitats; notably, the infants born by caesarean section acquire bacterial communities resembling their mother's oral microbiome. Consequently, the delivery modes play a crucial role in the initial colonization of the neonatal gut microbiome, potentially impacting children's health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Hsiang Weng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei City 104, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Yao Huang
- Department of Medical Research, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan; Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan
| | - Jhih-Hua Jhong
- Department of Medical Research, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ju Kao
- Department of Medical Research, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Chen
- Department of Medical Research, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chi Chen
- Department of Medical Research, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan
| | - Shun-Long Weng
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hsinchu MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan; MacKay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Taipei City 112, Taiwan.
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3
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Tarracchini C, Argentini C, Alessandri G, Lugli GA, Mancabelli L, Fontana F, Anzalone R, Viappiani A, Turroni F, Ventura M, Milani C. The core genome evolution of Lactobacillus crispatus as a driving force for niche competition in the human vaginal tract. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1774-1789. [PMID: 37491806 PMCID: PMC10443340 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The lower female reproductive tract is notoriously dominated by Lactobacillus species, among which Lactobacillus crispatus emerges for its protective and health-promoting activities. Although previous comparative genome analyses highlighted genetic and phenotypic diversity within the L. crispatus species, most studies have focused on the presence/absence of accessory genes. Here, we investigated the variation at the single nucleotide level within protein-encoding genes shared across a human-derived L. crispatus strain selection, which includes 200 currently available human-derived L. crispatus genomes as well as 41 chromosome sequences of such taxon that have been decoded in the framework of this study. Such data clearly pointed out the presence of intra-species micro-diversities that could have evolutionary significance contributing to phenotypical diversification by affecting protein domains. Specifically, two single nucleotide variations in the type II pullulanase gene sequence led to specific amino acid substitutions, possibly explaining the substantial differences in the growth performances and competition abilities observed in a multi-strain bioreactor culture simulating the vaginal environment. Accordingly, L. crispatus strains display different growth performances, suggesting that the colonisation and stable persistence in the female reproductive tract between the members of this taxon is highly variable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Chiara Argentini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | | | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- GenProbio SrlParmaItaly
| | | | | | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
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4
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Tarracchini C, Alessandri G, Fontana F, Rizzo SM, Lugli GA, Bianchi MG, Mancabelli L, Longhi G, Argentini C, Vergna LM, Anzalone R, Viappiani A, Turroni F, Taurino G, Chiu M, Arboleya S, Gueimonde M, Bussolati O, van Sinderen D, Milani C, Ventura M. Genetic strategies for sex-biased persistence of gut microbes across human life. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4220. [PMID: 37452041 PMCID: PMC10349097 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39931-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Although compositional variation in the gut microbiome during human development has been extensively investigated, strain-resolved dynamic changes remain to be fully uncovered. In the current study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing data of 12,415 fecal microbiomes from healthy individuals are employed for strain-level tracking of gut microbiota members to elucidate its evolving biodiversity across the human life span. This detailed longitudinal meta-analysis reveals host sex-related persistence of strains belonging to common, maternally-inherited species, such as Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum. Comparative genome analyses, coupled with experiments including intimate interaction between microbes and human intestinal cells, show that specific bacterial glycosyl hydrolases related to host-glycan metabolism may contribute to more efficient colonization in females compared to males. These findings point to an intriguing ancient sex-specific host-microbe coevolution driving the selective persistence in women of key microbial taxa that may be vertically passed on to the next generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- GenProbio srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Sonia Mirjam Rizzo
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Giovanni Bianchi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Chiara Argentini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Laura Maria Vergna
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Taurino
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Martina Chiu
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Silvia Arboleya
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias, CSIC, 33300, Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Miguel Gueimonde
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias, CSIC, 33300, Villaviciosa, Spain
| | - Ovidio Bussolati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of Ireland, T12YT20, Cork, Ireland
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
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5
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Tarracchini C, Milani C, Lugli GA, Mancabelli L, Fontana F, Alessandri G, Longhi G, Anzalone R, Viappiani A, Turroni F, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. Phylogenomic disentangling of the Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis taxon. Microb Genom 2021; 7. [PMID: 34319225 PMCID: PMC8477406 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Bifidobacterium longum species have been shown to possess adaptive abilities to allow colonization of different mammalian hosts, including humans, primates and domesticated mammalian species, such as dogs, horses, cattle and pigs. To date, three subspecies have formally been recognized to belong to this bifidobacterial taxon, i.e. B. longum subsp. longum, B. longum subsp. infantis and B. longum subsp. suis. Although B. longum subsp. longum is widely distributed in the human gut irrespective of host age, B. longum subsp. infantis appears to play a significant role as a prominent member of the gut microbiota of breast-fed infants. Nevertheless, despite the considerable scientific relevance of these taxa and the vast body of genomic data now available, an accurate dissection of the genetic features that comprehensively characterize the B. longum species and its subspecies is still missing. In the current study, we employed 261 publicly available B. longum genome sequences, combined with those of 11 new isolates, to investigate genomic diversity of this taxon through comparative genomic and phylogenomic approaches. These analyses allowed us to highlight a remarkable intra-species genetic and physiological diversity. Notably, characterization of the genome content of members of B. longum subsp. infantis subspecies suggested that this taxon may have acquired genetic features for increased competitiveness in the gut environment of suckling hosts. Furthermore, specific B. longum subsp. infantis genomic features appear to be responsible for enhanced horizontal gene transfer (HGT) occurrences, underpinning an intriguing dedication toward acquisition of foreign DNA by HGT events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,GenProbio Srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,GenProbio Srl, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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Genome Investigation of Urinary Gardnerella Strains and Their Relationship to Isolates of the Vaginal Microbiota. mSphere 2021; 6:6/3/e00154-21. [PMID: 33980674 PMCID: PMC8125048 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00154-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gardnerella is a frequent member of the urogenital microbiota. Given the association between Gardnerella vaginalis and bacterial vaginosis (BV), significant efforts have been focused on characterizing this species in the vaginal microbiota. However, Gardnerella also is a frequent member of the urinary microbiota. In an effort to characterize the bacterial species of the urinary microbiota, we present here 10 genomes of urinary Gardnerella isolates from women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms. These genomes complement those of 22 urinary Gardnerella strains previously isolated and sequenced by our team. We included these genomes in a comparative genome analysis of all publicly available Gardnerella genomes, which include 33 urinary isolates, 78 vaginal isolates, and 2 other isolates. While once this genus was thought to consist of a single species, recent comparative genome analyses have revealed 3 new species and an additional 9 groups within Gardnerella Based upon our analysis, we suggest a new group for the species. We also find that distinction between these Gardnerella species/groups is possible only when considering the core or whole-genome sequence, as neither the sialidase nor vaginolysin genes are sufficient for distinguishing between species/groups despite their clinical importance. In contrast to the vaginal microbiota, we found that only five Gardnerella species/groups have been detected within the lower urinary tract. Although we found no association between a particular Gardnerella species/group(s) and urinary symptoms, further sequencing of urinary Gardnerella isolates is needed for both comprehensive taxonomic characterization and etiological classification of Gardnerella in the urinary tract.IMPORTANCE Prior research into the bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis has largely focused on its association with bacterial vaginosis (BV). However, G. vaginalis is also frequently found within the urinary microbiota of women with and without lower urinary tract symptoms as well as individuals with chronic kidney disease, interstitial cystitis, and BV. This prompted our investigation into Gardnerella from the urinary microbiota and all publicly available Gardnerella genomes from the urogenital tract. Our work suggests that while some Gardnerella species can survive in both the urinary tract and vagina, others likely cannot. This study provides the foundation for future studies of Gardnerella within the urinary tract and its possible contribution to lower urinary tract symptoms.
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Alessandri G, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. The genus bifidobacterium: From genomics to functionality of an important component of the mammalian gut microbiota running title: Bifidobacterial adaptation to and interaction with the host. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:1472-1487. [PMID: 33777340 PMCID: PMC7979991 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the genus Bifidobacterium are dominant and symbiotic inhabitants of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. Being vertically transmitted, bifidobacterial host colonization commences immediately after birth and leads to a phase of host infancy during which bifidobacteria are highly prevalent and abundant to then transit to a reduced, yet stable abundance phase during host adulthood. However, in order to reach and stably colonize their elective niche, i.e. the large intestine, bifidobacteria have to cope with a multitude of oxidative, osmotic and bile salt/acid stress challenges that occur along the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Concurrently, bifidobacteria not only have to compete with the myriad of other gut commensals for nutrient acquisition, but they also require protection against bacterial viruses. In this context, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques, allowing large-scale comparative and functional genome analyses have helped to identify the genetic strategies that bifidobacteria have developed in order to colonize, survive and adopt to the highly competitive mammalian gastrointestinal environment. The current review is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview concerning the molecular strategies on which bifidobacteria rely to stably and successfully colonize the mammalian gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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