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Herrera-Quintana L, Vázquez-Lorente H, Hinojosa-Nogueira D, Plaza-Diaz J. Relationship between Infant Feeding and the Microbiome: Implications for Allergies and Food Intolerances. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:1030. [PMID: 39201963 PMCID: PMC11353207 DOI: 10.3390/children11081030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Childhood is a critical period for immune system development, which is greatly influenced by the gut microbiome. Likewise, a number of factors affect the gut microbiome composition and diversity, including breastfeeding, formula feeding, and solid foods introduction. In this regard, several studies have previously demonstrated that breastfeeding promotes a favorable microbiome. In contrast, formula feeding and the early incorporation of certain solid foods may adversely affect microbiome development. Additionally, there is increasing evidence that disruptions in the early microbiome can lead to allergic conditions and food intolerances. Thus, developing strategies to promote optimal infant nutrition requires an understanding of the relationship between infant nutrition and long-term health. The present review aims to examine the relationship between infant feeding practices and the microbiome, as well as its implications on allergies and food intolerances in infants. Moreover, this study synthesizes existing evidence on how different eating habits influence the microbiome. It highlights their implications for the prevention of allergies and food intolerances. In conclusion, introducing allergenic solid foods before six months, alongside breastfeeding, may significantly reduce allergies and food intolerances risks, being also associated with variations in gut microbiome and related complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Herrera-Quintana
- Department of Physiology, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; (L.H.-Q.); (H.V.-L.)
- Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Héctor Vázquez-Lorente
- Department of Physiology, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain; (L.H.-Q.); (H.V.-L.)
- Biomedical Research Center, Health Sciences Technology Park, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Laboratorio del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Universitario de Málaga (Virgen de la Victoria), 29590 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Julio Plaza-Diaz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria IBS, GRANADA, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, 18014 Granada, Spain
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
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2
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McDonnell B, Parlindungan E, Vasiliauskaite E, Bottacini F, Coughlan K, Krishnaswami LP, Sassen T, Lugli GA, Ventura M, Mastroleo F, Mahony J, van Sinderen D. Viromic and Metagenomic Analyses of Commercial Spirulina Fermentations Reveal Remarkable Microbial Diversity. Viruses 2024; 16:1039. [PMID: 39066202 PMCID: PMC11281685 DOI: 10.3390/v16071039] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Commercially produced cyanobacteria preparations sold under the name spirulina are widely consumed, due to their traditional use as a nutrient-rich foodstuff and subsequent marketing as a superfood. Despite their popularity, the microbial composition of ponds used to cultivate these bacteria is understudied. A total of 19 pond samples were obtained from small-scale spirulina farms and subjected to metagenome and/or virome sequencing, and the results were analysed. A remarkable level of prokaryotic and viral diversity was found to be present in the ponds, with Limnospira sp. and Arthrospira sp. sometimes being notably scarce. A detailed breakdown of prokaryotic and viral components of 15 samples is presented. Twenty putative Limnospira sp.-infecting bacteriophage contigs were identified, though no correlation between the performance of these cultures and the presence of phages was found. The high diversity of these samples prevented the identification of clear trends in sample performance over time, between ponds or when comparing successful and failed fermentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian McDonnell
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Elvina Parlindungan
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Erika Vasiliauskaite
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Francesca Bottacini
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
- Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, T12 P928 Cork, Ireland
| | - Keith Coughlan
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Lakshmi Priyadarshini Krishnaswami
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Tom Sassen
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
- Microbiology Unit, Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium;
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy; (G.A.L.); (M.V.)
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy; (G.A.L.); (M.V.)
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Felice Mastroleo
- Microbiology Unit, Nuclear Medical Applications, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, 2400 Mol, Belgium;
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, T12 Y337 Cork, Ireland; (B.M.); (E.V.); (K.C.); (L.P.K.); (J.M.)
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20 Cork, Ireland;
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3
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Alessandri G, Fontana F, Mancabelli L, Tarracchini C, Lugli GA, Argentini C, Longhi G, Rizzo SM, Vergna LM, Anzalone R, Viappiani A, Turroni F, Ossiprandi MC, Milani C, Ventura M. Species-level characterization of saliva and dental plaque microbiota reveals putative bacterial and functional biomarkers of periodontal diseases in dogs. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae082. [PMID: 38782729 PMCID: PMC11165276 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae082] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Periodontal diseases are among the most common bacterial-related pathologies affecting the oral cavity of dogs. Nevertheless, the canine oral ecosystem and its correlations with oral disease development are still far from being fully characterized. In this study, the species-level taxonomic composition of saliva and dental plaque microbiota of 30 healthy dogs was investigated through a shallow shotgun metagenomics approach. The obtained data allowed not only to define the most abundant and prevalent bacterial species of the oral microbiota in healthy dogs, including members of the genera Corynebacterium and Porphyromonas, but also to identify the presence of distinct compositional motifs in the two oral microniches as well as taxonomical differences between dental plaques collected from anterior and posterior teeth. Subsequently, the salivary and dental plaque microbiota of 18 dogs affected by chronic gingival inflammation and 18 dogs with periodontitis were compared to those obtained from the healthy dogs. This analysis allowed the identification of bacterial and metabolic biomarkers correlated with a specific clinical status, including members of the genera Porphyromonas and Fusobacterium as microbial biomarkers of a healthy and diseased oral status, respectively, and genes predicted to encode for metabolites with anti-inflammatory properties as metabolic biomarkers of a healthy status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, 43125 Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Chiara Argentini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Sonia Mirjam Rizzo
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Laura Maria Vergna
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Ossiprandi
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Parma, Via Del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11a, 43124 Parma, Italy
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4
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Mancabelli L, Milani C, De Biase R, Bocchio F, Fontana F, Lugli GA, Alessandri G, Tarracchini C, Viappiani A, De Conto F, Nouvenne A, Ticinesi A, Bussolati O, Meschi T, Cecchi R, Turroni F, Ventura M. Taxonomic and metabolic development of the human gut microbiome across life stages: a worldwide metagenomic investigation. mSystems 2024; 9:e0129423. [PMID: 38441032 PMCID: PMC11019788 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01294-23] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The human gut microbiota is a dynamic community of microorganisms that undergo variable changes over the entire life span. To thoroughly investigate the possible fluctuations of the microbiota throughout human life, we performed a pooled analysis of healthy fecal samples across different age groups covering the entire human life span. Our study integrated data from 79 publicly available studies and new stool samples from an Italian cohort, i.e., the Parma Microbiota project, resulting in 6,653 samples processed through the shotgun metagenomic approach. This approach has allowed species-level taxonomic reconstruction of the gut microbiota and investigation of its metabolic potential across the human life span. From a taxonomic point of view, our findings confirmed and detailed at species-level accuracy that the microbial richness of the gut microbiota gradually increases in the first stage of life, becoming relatively stable during adolescence. Moreover, the analysis identified the potential core microbiota representative of distinct age groups, revealing age-related bacterial patterns and the continuous rearrangement of the microbiota in terms of relative abundances across the life span rather than the acquisition and loss of taxa. Furthermore, the shotgun approach provided insights into the functional contribution of the human gut microbiome. The metagenomic analysis revealed functional age-related differences, particularly in carbohydrate and fiber metabolism, suggesting a co-evolution of the microbiome assembly with diet. Additionally, we identified correlations between vitamin synthesis, such as thiamine and niacin, and early life, suggesting a potential role of the microbiome in human physiology, in particular in the functions of the host's nervous and immune systems. IMPORTANCE In this study, we provided comprehensive insights into the dynamic nature of the human gut microbiota across the human life span. In detail, we analyzed a large data set based on a shotgun metagenomic approach, combining public data sets and new samples from the Parma Microbiota project and obtaining a detailed overview of the possible relationship between gut microbiota development and aging. Our findings confirmed the main stages in microbial richness development and revealed specific core microbiota associated with different age stages. Moreover, the shotgun metagenomic approach allowed the disentangling of the functional changes in the microbiome across the human life span, particularly in diet-related metabolism, which is probably correlated to bacterial co-evolution with dietary habits. Notably, our study also uncovered positive correlations with vitamin synthesis in early life, suggesting a possible impact of the microbiota on human physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Rosita De Biase
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Fabiana Bocchio
- 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
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- 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
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Flora De Conto
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Antonio Nouvenne
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Ticinesi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy
| | - Ovidio Bussolati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Tiziana Meschi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy
| | - Rossana Cecchi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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5
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White K, Eraclio G, Lugli GA, Ventura M, Mahony J, Bello FD, van Sinderen D. A Metagenomics Approach to Enumerate Bacteriophages in a Food Niche. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2738:185-199. [PMID: 37966600 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Dairy fermentation relies on the activity of starter cultures composed primarily of lactic acid bacteria such as Lactococcus and Streptococcus thermophilus strains to produce consistent, high-quality products. Bacteriophages are a constant threat to the industry, often causing slowed or failed fermentation resulting in significant economic losses. To ensure the continuation of reliable fermentation practices, it is important to detect and monitor the phage populations impacting different starter cultures. This has traditionally been done primarily through culture-dependent methods but has since expanded into viral metagenomics. Here we outline a protocol for a targeted virome extraction from a dairy whey sample, followed by subsequent sequencing and phageome analysis of the sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey White
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | | | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Pavia G, Marascio N, Matera G, Quirino A. Does the Human Gut Virome Contribute to Host Health or Disease? Viruses 2023; 15:2271. [PMID: 38005947 PMCID: PMC10674713 DOI: 10.3390/v15112271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbors eukaryotic and prokaryotic viruses and their genomes, metabolites, and proteins, collectively known as the "gut virome". This complex community of viruses colonizing the enteric mucosa is pivotal in regulating host immunity. The mechanisms involved in cross communication between mucosal immunity and the gut virome, as well as their relationship in health and disease, remain largely unknown. Herein, we review the literature on the human gut virome's composition and evolution and the interplay between the gut virome and enteric mucosal immunity and their molecular mechanisms. Our review suggests that future research efforts should focus on unraveling the mechanisms of gut viruses in human homeostasis and pathophysiology and on developing virus-prompted precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nadia Marascio
- Unit of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, “Magna Græcia” University Hospital of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
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7
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Longhi G, Argentini C, Fontana F, Tarracchini C, Mancabelli L, Lugli GA, Alessandri G, Lahner E, Pivetta G, Turroni F, Ventura M, Milani C. Saponin treatment for eukaryotic DNA depletion alters the microbial DNA profiles by reducing the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria in metagenomics analyses. MICROBIOME RESEARCH REPORTS 2023; 3:4. [PMID: 38455080 PMCID: PMC10917613 DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2023.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Background: Recent advances in microbiome sequencing techniques have provided new insights into the role of the microbiome on human health with potential diagnostic implications. However, these developments are often hampered by the presence of a large amount of human DNA interfering with the analysis of the bacterial content. Nowadays, extensive scientific literature focuses on eukaryotic DNA depletion methods, which successfully remove host DNA in microbiome studies, even if a precise assessment of the impact on bacterial DNA is often missing. Methods: Here, we have investigated a saponin-based DNA isolation protocol commonly applied to different biological matrices to deplete the released host DNA. Results: The bacterial DNA obtained was used to assess the relative abundance of bacterial and human DNA, revealing that the inclusion of 2.5% wt/vol saponin allowed the depletion of most of the host's DNA in favor of bacterial DNA enrichment. However, shotgun metagenomic sequencing showed inaccurate microbial profiles of the DNA samples, highlighting an erroneous increase in Gram-positive DNA. Even the application of 0.0125% wt/vol saponin altered the bacterial profile by depleting Gram-negative bacteria, resulting in an overall increase of Gram-positive bacterial DNA. Conclusion: The application of the saponin-based protocol drastically changes the detection of the microbial composition of human-related biological specimens. In this context, we revealed that saponin targets not only host cells but also specific bacterial cells, thus inducing a drastic reduction in the profiling of Gram-negative bacterial DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- GenProbio Srl, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Chiara Argentini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- GenProbio Srl, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Edith Lahner
- Medical-Surgical Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sant’Andrea Hospital, School of Medicine, University Sapienza, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Giulia Pivetta
- Medical-Surgical Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sant’Andrea Hospital, School of Medicine, University Sapienza, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
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8
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Mancabelli L, Taurino G, Ticinesi A, Ciociola T, Vacondio F, Milani C, Fontana F, Lugli GA, Tarracchini C, Alessandri G, Viappiani A, Bianchi M, Nouvenne A, Chetta AA, Turroni F, Meschi T, Mor M, Bussolati O, Ventura M. Disentangling the interactions between nasopharyngeal and gut microbiome and their involvement in the modulation of COVID-19 infection. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0219423. [PMID: 37728335 PMCID: PMC10581039 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02194-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The human organism is inhabited by trillions of microorganisms, known as microbiota, which are considered to exploit a pivotal role in the regulation of host health and immunity. Recent investigations have suggested a relationship between the composition of the human microbiota and COVID-19 infection, highlighting a possible role of bacterial communities in the modulation of the disease severity. In this study, we performed a shotgun metagenomics analysis to explore and compare the nasopharyngeal microbiota of 38 hospitalized Italian patients with and without COVID-19 infection during the third and fourth pandemic waves. In detail, the metagenomic analysis combined with specific correlation analyses suggested a positive association of several microbial species, such as S. parasanguinis and P. melaninogenica, with the severity of COVID-19 infection. Furthermore, the comparison of the microbiota composition between the nasopharyngeal and their respective fecal samples highlighted an association between these different compartments represented by a sharing of several bacterial species. Additionally, lipidomic and deep-shotgun functional analyses of the fecal samples suggested a metabolic impact of the microbiome on the host's immune response, indicating the presence of key metabolic compounds in COVID-19 patients, such as lipid oxidation end products, potentially related to the inflammatory state. Conversely, the patients without COVID-19 displayed enzymatic patterns associated with the biosynthesis and degradation of specific compounds like lysine (synthesis) and phenylalanine (degradation) that could positively impact disease severity and contribute to modulating COVID-19 infection. IMPORTANCE The human microbiota is reported to play a major role in the regulation of host health and immunity, suggesting a possible impact on the severity of COVID-19 disease. This preliminary study investigated the possible correlation between nasopharyngeal microbiota and COVID-19 infection. In detail, the analysis of the nasopharyngeal microbiota of hospitalized Italian patients with and without COVID-19 infection suggested a positive association of several microbial species with the severity of the disease and highlighted a sharing of several bacteria species with the respective fecal samples. Moreover, the metabolic analyses suggested a possible impact of the microbiome on the host's immune response and the disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, 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
| | - Andrea Ticinesi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Geriatric-Rehabilitation, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Tecla Ciociola
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Federica Vacondio
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- 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
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - 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
| | | | - Massimiliano Bianchi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Antonio Nouvenne
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Geriatric-Rehabilitation, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Alfredo Antonio Chetta
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Tiziana Meschi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Geriatric-Rehabilitation, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Mor
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ovidio Bussolati
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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9
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Moore RL, Feehily C, Killeen SL, Yelverton CA, Geraghty AA, Walsh CJ, O'Neill IJ, Nielsan IB, Lawton EM, Sanchez-Gallardo R, Nori SRC, Shanahan F, Murphy EF, Van Sinderen D, Cotter PD, McAuliffe FM. Ability of Bifidobacterium breve 702258 to transfer from mother to infant: the MicrobeMom randomized controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2023; 5:100994. [PMID: 37142190 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.100994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The composition of the infant microbiome can have a variety of short- and long-term implications for health. It is unclear if maternal probiotic supplementation in pregnancy can affect the infant gut microbiome. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate if maternal supplementation of a formulation of Bifidobacterium breve 702258 from early pregnancy until 3 months postpartum could transfer to the infant gut. STUDY DESIGN This was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial of B breve 702258 (minimum 1 × 109 colony-forming units) or placebo taken orally from 16 weeks' gestation until 3 months postpartum in healthy pregnant women. The primary outcome was presence of the supplemented strain in infant stool up to 3 months of life, detected by at least 2 of 3 methods: strain-specific polymerase chain reaction, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, or genome sequencing of cultured B breve. A total of 120 individual infants' stool samples were required for 80% power to detect a difference in strain transfer between groups. Rates of detection were compared using the Fisher exact test. RESULTS A total of 160 pregnant women with average age of 33.6 (3.9) years and mean body mass index of 24.3 (22.5-26.5) kg/m2, of whom 43% were nulliparous (n=58), were recruited from September 2016 to July 2019. Neonatal stool samples were obtained from 135 infants (65 in intervention and 70 in control group). The presence of the supplemented strain was detected through at least 2 methods (polymerase chain reaction and culture) in 2 infants in the intervention group (n=2/65; 3.1%) and none in the control group (n=0; 0%; P=.230). CONCLUSION Direct mother-to-infant strain transfer of B breve 702258 occurred, albeit infrequently. This study highlights the potential for maternal supplementation to introduce microbial strains into the infant microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Moore
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Drs Moore, Killeen, Yelverton, Geraghty, and McAuliffe)
| | - Conor Feehily
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland (Drs Feehily and Walsh, Ms Lawton, Mr Nori, and Drs Sinderen and Cotter); Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom (Dr Feehily)
| | - Sarah Louise Killeen
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Drs Moore, Killeen, Yelverton, Geraghty, and McAuliffe)
| | - Cara A Yelverton
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Drs Moore, Killeen, Yelverton, Geraghty, and McAuliffe)
| | - Aisling A Geraghty
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Drs Moore, Killeen, Yelverton, Geraghty, and McAuliffe); Institute of Food and Health, UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland (Dr Geraghty)
| | - Calum J Walsh
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland (Drs Feehily and Walsh, Ms Lawton, Mr Nori, and Drs Sinderen and Cotter)
| | - Ian J O'Neill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland (Dr O'Neill, Mses Nielsan and Sanchez-Gallardo, and Dr Van Sinderen)
| | - Ida Busch Nielsan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland (Dr O'Neill, Mses Nielsan and Sanchez-Gallardo, and Dr Van Sinderen)
| | - Elaine M Lawton
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland (Drs Feehily and Walsh, Ms Lawton, Mr Nori, and Drs Sinderen and Cotter)
| | - Rocio Sanchez-Gallardo
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland (Dr O'Neill, Mses Nielsan and Sanchez-Gallardo, and Dr Van Sinderen)
| | - Sai Ravi Chandra Nori
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland (Drs Feehily and Walsh, Ms Lawton, Mr Nori, and Drs Sinderen and Cotter); Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research Training in Genomics Data Science, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland (Mr Nori)
| | - Fergus Shanahan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); Department of Medicine, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Dr Shanahan)
| | - Eileen F Murphy
- PrecisionBiotics Group Ltd, Novozymes, Cork, Ireland (Dr Murphy)
| | - Douwe Van Sinderen
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland (Drs Feehily and Walsh, Ms Lawton, Mr Nori, and Drs Sinderen and Cotter); School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland (Dr O'Neill, Mses Nielsan and Sanchez-Gallardo, and Dr Van Sinderen)
| | - Paul D Cotter
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland (Drs Feehily, Walsh, and O'Neill, Mses Nielsan, Lawton, and Sanchez-Gallardo, Mr Nori, and Drs Shanahan and Cotter); Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland (Drs Feehily and Walsh, Ms Lawton, Mr Nori, and Drs Sinderen and Cotter)
| | - Fionnuala M McAuliffe
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (Drs Moore, Killeen, Yelverton, Geraghty, and McAuliffe).
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10
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Mancabelli L, Milani C, Fontana F, Liotto N, Tabasso C, Perrone M, Lugli GA, Tarracchini C, Alessandri G, Viappiani A, Bernasconi S, Roggero P, Mosca F, Turroni F, Ventura M. A pilot study to disentangle the infant gut microbiota composition and identification of bacteria correlates with high fat mass. MICROBIOME RESEARCH REPORTS 2023; 2:23. [PMID: 38046821 PMCID: PMC10688801 DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2023.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Background: At birth, the human intestine is colonized by a complex community of microorganisms known as gut microbiota. These complex microbial communities that inhabit the gut microbiota are thought to play a key role in maintaining host physiological homeostasis. For this reason, correct colonization of the gastrointestinal tract in the early stages of life could be fundamental for human health. Furthermore, alterations of the infant microbiota are correlated with the development of human inflammatory diseases and disorders. In this context, the possible relationships between intestinal microbiota and body composition during infancy are of great interest. Methods: In this study, we have performed a pilot study based on 16S rRNA gene profiling and metagenomic approaches on repeatedly measured data on time involving a cohort of 41 Italian newborns, which is aimed to investigate the possible correlation between body fat mass percentage (FM%) and the infant gut microbiota composition. Results and conclusion: The taxonomical analysis of the stool microbiota of each infant included in the cohort allowed the identification of a specific correlation between intestinal bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Veillonella, and the increase in FM%. Moreover, the analysis of the infant microbiome's metabolic capabilities suggested that the intestinal microbiome functionally impacts the human host and its possible influence on host physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma 43125, Italy
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Nadia Liotto
- NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Chiara Tabasso
- NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Michela Perrone
- NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | | | - Sergio Bernasconi
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Paola Roggero
- NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Fabio Mosca
- NICU, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43124, Italy
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11
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Lugli GA, Mancabelli L, Milani C, Fontana F, Tarracchini C, Alessandri G, van Sinderen D, Turroni F, Ventura M. Comprehensive insights from composition to functional microbe-based biodiversity of the infant human gut microbiota. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:25. [PMID: 37169786 PMCID: PMC10175488 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00392-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
During infancy, gut microbiota development is a crucial process involved in the establishment of microbe-host interactions which may persist throughout adulthood, and which are believed to influence host health. To fully understand the complexities of such interactions, it is essential to assess gut microbiota diversity of newborns and its associated microbial dynamics and relationships pertaining to health and disease. To explore microbial biodiversity during the first 3 years of human life, 10,935 shotgun metagenomic datasets were taxonomically and functionally classified. Microbial species distribution between infants revealed the presence of eight major Infant Community State Types (ICSTs), being dominated by 17 bacterial taxa, whose distribution was shown to correspond to the geographical origin and infant health status. In total, 2390 chromosomal sequences of the predominant taxa were reconstructed from metagenomic data and used in combination with 44,987 publicly available genomes to trace the distribution of microbial Population Subspecies (PS) within the different infant groups, revealing patterns of multistrain coexistence among ICSTs. Finally, implementation of a metagenomic- and metatranscriptomic-based metabolic profiling highlighted different enzymatic expression patterns of the gut microbiota that allowed us to acquire insights into mechanistic aspects of health-gut microbiota interplay in newborns. Comparison between metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data highlights how a complex environment like the human gut must be investigated by employing both sequencing methodologies and possibly supplemented with metabolomics approaches. While metagenomic analyses are very useful for microbial classification aimed at unveiling key players driving microbiota balances, using these data to explain functionalities of the microbiota is not always warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, 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
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - 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
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of Ireland, T12YT20, Cork, Ireland
| | - 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
| | - 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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12
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Viral Metagenomic Analysis of the Fecal Samples in Domestic Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Viruses 2023; 15:v15030685. [PMID: 36992396 PMCID: PMC10058366 DOI: 10.3390/v15030685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Canine diarrhea is a common intestinal illness that is usually caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites, and canine diarrhea may induce morbidity and mortality of domestic dogs if treated improperly. Recently, viral metagenomics was applied to investigate the signatures of the enteric virome in mammals. In this research, the characteristics of the gut virome in healthy dogs and dogs with diarrhea were analyzed and compared using viral metagenomics. The alpha diversity analysis indicated that the richness and diversity of the gut virome in the dogs with diarrhea were much higher than the healthy dogs, while the beta diversity analysis revealed that the gut virome of the two groups was quite different. At the family level, the predominant viruses in the canine gut virome were certified to be Microviridae, Parvoviridae, Siphoviridae, Inoviridae, Podoviridae, Myoviridae, and others. At the genus level, the predominant viruses in the canine gut virome were certified to be Protoparvovirus, Inovirus, Chlamydiamicrovirus, Lambdavirus, Dependoparvovirus, Lightbulbvirus, Kostyavirus, Punavirus, Lederbergvirus, Fibrovirus, Peduovirus, and others. However, the viral communities between the two groups differed significantly. The unique viral taxa identified in the healthy dogs group were Chlamydiamicrovirus and Lightbulbvirus, while the unique viral taxa identified in the dogs with diarrhea group were Inovirus, Protoparvovirus, Lambdavirus, Dependoparvovirus, Kostyavirus, Punavirus, and other viruses. Phylogenetic analysis based on the near-complete genome sequences showed that the CPV strains collected in this study together with other CPV Chinese isolates clustered into a separate branch, while the identified CAV-2 strain D5-8081 and AAV-5 strain AAV-D5 were both the first near-complete genome sequences in China. Moreover, the predicted bacterial hosts of phages were certified to be Campylobacter, Escherichia, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Moraxella, Mediterraneibacter, and other commensal microbiota. In conclusion, the enteric virome of the healthy dogs group and the dogs with diarrhea group was investigated and compared using viral metagenomics, and the viral communities might influence canine health and disease by interacting with the commensal gut microbiome.
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13
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Multifactorial Microvariability of the Italian Raw Milk Cheese Microbiota and Implication for Current Regulatory Scheme. mSystems 2023; 8:e0106822. [PMID: 36688869 PMCID: PMC9948735 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01068-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Raw milk cheese manufactory is strictly regulated in Europe by the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) quality scheme, which protects indigenous food products based on geographical and biotechnological features. This study encompassed the collection of 128 raw milk cheese samples across Italy to investigate the resident microbiome correlated to current PDO specifications. Shotgun metagenomic approaches highlighted how the microbial communities are primarily linked to each cheesemaking site and consequently to the use of site-specific Natural Whey Cultures (NWCs), defined by a multifactorial set of local environmental factors rather than solely by cheese type or geographical origin that guide the current PDO specification. Moreover, in-depth functional characterization of Cheese Community State Types (CCSTs) and comparative genomics efforts, including metagenomically assembled genomes (MAGs) of the dominant microbial taxa, revealed NWCs-related unique enzymatic profiles impacting the organoleptic features of the produced cheeses and availability of bioactive compounds to consumers, with putative health implications. Thus, these results highlighted the need for a profound rethinking of the current PDO designation with a focus on the production site-specific microbial metabolism to understand and guarantee the organoleptic features of the final product recognized as PDO. IMPORTANCE The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) guarantees the traceability of food production processes, and that the production takes place in a well-defined restricted geographical area. Nevertheless, the organoleptic qualities of the same dairy products, i.e., cheeses under the same PDO denomination, differ between manufacturers. The final product's flavor and qualitative aspects can be related to the resident microbial population, not considered by the PDO denomination. Here, we analyzed a complete set of different Italian cheeses produced from raw milk through shotgun sequencing in order to study the variability of the different microbial profiles resident in Italian PDO cheeses. Furthermore, an in-depth functional analysis, along with a comparative genomic analysis, was performed in order to correlate the taxonomic information with the organoleptic properties of the final product. This analysis made it possible to highlight how the PDO denomination should be revisited to understand the effect that Natural Whey Cultures (NWCs), used in the traditional production of raw milk cheese and unique to each manufacturer, impacts on the organoleptic features of the final product.
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14
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Fontana F, Longhi G, Tarracchini C, Mancabelli L, Lugli GA, Alessandri G, Turroni F, Milani C, Ventura M. The human gut microbiome of athletes: metagenomic and metabolic insights. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:27. [PMID: 36782241 PMCID: PMC9926762 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01470-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The correlation between the physical performance of athletes and their gut microbiota has become of growing interest in the past years, since new evidences have emerged regarding the importance of the gut microbiota as a main driver of the health status of athletes. In addition, it has been postulated that the metabolic activity of the microbial population harbored by the large intestine of athletes might influence their physical performances. Here, we analyzed 418 publicly available shotgun metagenomics datasets obtained from fecal samples of healthy athletes and healthy sedentary adults. RESULTS This study evidenced how agonistic physical activity and related lifestyle can be associated with the modulation of the gut microbiota composition, inducing modifications of the taxonomic profiles with an enhancement of gut microbes able to produce short-fatty acid (SCFAs). In addition, our analyses revealed a correlation between specific bacterial species and high impact biological synthases (HIBSs) responsible for the generation of a range of microbially driven compounds such vitamin B12, amino acidic derivatives, and other molecules linked to cardiovascular and age-related health-risk reduction. CONCLUSIONS Notably, our findings show how subsist an association between competitive athletes, and modulation of the gut microbiota, and how this modulation is reflected in the potential production of microbial metabolites that can lead to beneficial effects on human physical performance and health conditions. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Fontana
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
- GenProbio Srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
- GenProbio Srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy.
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - Marco Ventura
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, Laboratory of Probiogenomics, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle Scienze 11a, 43124, Parma, Italy.
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
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15
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Lugli GA, Fontana F, Tarracchini C, Mancabelli L, Milani C, Turroni F, Ventura M. Exploring the biodiversity of Bifidobacterium asteroides among honey bee microbiomes. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5666-5679. [PMID: 36161453 PMCID: PMC10092428 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Bifidobacterium asteroides is considered the ancestor of the genus Bifidobacterium, which has evolved in close touch with the hindgut of social insects. However, recent studies revealed high intraspecies biodiversity within this taxon, uncovering the putative existence of multiple bifidobacterial species, thus, suggesting its reclassification. Here, a genomic investigation of 98 B. asteroides-related genomes retrieved from public repositories and reconstructed from metagenomes of the hindgut of Apis mellifera and Apis cerana was performed to shed light on the genetic variability of this taxon. Phylogenetic and genomic analyses revealed the existence of eight clusters, of which five have been recently characterized with a representative type strain of the genus and three were represented by putative novel bifidobacterial species inhabiting the honeybee gut. Then, the dissection of 366 shotgun metagenomes of honeybee guts revealed a pattern of seven B. asteroides-related taxa within A. mellifera that co-exist with the host, while A. cerana microbiome was characterized by the predominance of one of the novel species erroneously classified as B. asteroides. A further glycobiome analysis unveiled a conserved repertoire of glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) reflecting degradative abilities towards a broad range of simple carbohydrates together with genes encoding specific GHs of each B. asteroides-related taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- 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
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, 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
| | - 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
| | - 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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16
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Mancabelli L, Milani C, Fontana F, Lugli GA, Tarracchini C, Viappiani A, Ciociola T, Ticinesi A, Nouvenne A, Meschi T, Turroni F, Ventura M. Untangling the link between the human gut microbiota composition and the severity of the symptoms of the COVID-19 infection. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:6453-6462. [PMID: 36086955 PMCID: PMC9538590 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent pandemic infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) led the scientific community to investigate the possible causes contributing to the physiopathology of this disease. In this context, analyses of the intestinal microbiota highlighted possible correlation between host-associated bacterial communities and development of the COVID-19. Nevertheless, a detailed investigation of the role of the human microbiota in the severity of the symptoms of this disease is still lacking. This study performed a comprehensive meta-analysis of 323 faecal samples from public and novel Italian data sets based on the shotgun metagenomic approach. In detail, the comparative analyses revealed possible differences in the microbial biodiversity related to the individual health status, highlighting a species richness decrease in COVID-19 patients with a severe prognosis. Moreover, healthy subjects resulted characterized by a higher abundance of protective and health-supporting bacterial species, while patients affected by COVID-19 disease displayed a significant increase of opportunistic pathogen bacteria involved in developing putrefactive dysbiosis. Furthermore, prediction of the microbiome functional capabilities suggested that individuals affected by COVID-19 subsist in an unbalanced metabolism characterized by an overrepresentation of enzymes involved in the protein metabolism at the expense of carbohydrates oriented pathways, which can impact on disease severity and in excessive systemic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Christian Milani
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly,Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of ChemistryLife Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of ChemistryLife Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of ChemistryLife Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of ChemistryLife Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | | | - Tecla Ciociola
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Andrea Ticinesi
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly,Geriatric‐Rehabilitation DepartmentAzienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria di ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Antonio Nouvenne
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly,Geriatric‐Rehabilitation DepartmentAzienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria di ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Tiziana Meschi
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly,Geriatric‐Rehabilitation DepartmentAzienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria di ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly,Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of ChemistryLife Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Marco Ventura
- Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub"University of ParmaParmaItaly,Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of ChemistryLife Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of ParmaParmaItaly
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17
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Davis EC, Castagna VP, Sela DA, Hillard MA, Lindberg S, Mantis NJ, Seppo AE, Järvinen KM. Gut microbiome and breast-feeding: Implications for early immune development. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022; 150:523-534. [PMID: 36075638 PMCID: PMC9463492 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Establishment of the gut microbiome during early life is a complex process with lasting implications for an individual's health. Several factors influence microbial assembly; however, breast-feeding is recognized as one of the most influential drivers of gut microbiome composition during infancy, with potential implications for function. Differences in gut microbial communities between breast-fed and formula-fed infants have been consistently observed and are hypothesized to partially mediate the relationships between breast-feeding and decreased risk for numerous communicable and noncommunicable diseases in early life. Despite decades of research on the gut microbiome of breast-fed infants, there are large scientific gaps in understanding how human milk has evolved to support microbial and immune development. This review will summarize the evidence on how breast-feeding broadly affects the composition and function of the early-life gut microbiome and discuss mechanisms by which specific human milk components shape intestinal bacterial colonization, succession, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Davis
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Center for Food Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Golisano Children's Hospital, Rochester, NY
| | | | - David A Sela
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Mass; Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Mass; Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Mass
| | - Margaret A Hillard
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Mass; Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Mass
| | - Samantha Lindberg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Albany, Rensselaer, NY
| | - Nicholas J Mantis
- Division of Infectious Diseases, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY
| | - Antti E Seppo
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Center for Food Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Golisano Children's Hospital, Rochester, NY
| | - Kirsi M Järvinen
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Center for Food Allergy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Golisano Children's Hospital, Rochester, NY; Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY.
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18
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Lugli GA, Longhi G, Mancabelli L, Alessandri G, Tarracchini C, Fontana F, Turroni F, Milani C, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. Tap water as a natural vehicle for microorganisms shaping the human gut microbiome. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:3912-3923. [PMID: 35355372 PMCID: PMC9790288 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Fresh potable water is an indispensable drink which humans consume daily in substantial amounts. Nonetheless, very little is known about the composition of the microbial community inhabiting drinking water or its impact on our gut microbiota. In the current study, an exhaustive shotgun metagenomics analysis of the tap water microbiome highlighted the occurrence of a highly genetic biodiversity of the microbial communities residing in fresh water and the existence of a conserved core tap water microbiota largely represented by novel microbial species, representing microbial dark matter. Furthermore, genome reconstruction of this microbial dark matter from water samples unveiled homologous sequences present in the faecal microbiome of humans from various geographical locations. Accordingly, investigation of the faecal microbiota content of a subject that daily consumed tap water for 3 years provides proof for horizontal transmission and colonization of water bacteria in the human gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,GenProbio SrlParmaItaly
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- 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
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- 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
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of IrelandCorkIreland
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly,Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
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19
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Kennedy EA, Holtz LR. Gut virome in early life: origins and implications. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 55:101233. [PMID: 35690009 PMCID: PMC9575407 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The human body is colonized by a multitude of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which play important roles in health and disease. Microbial colonization during early life is thought to be a particularly important period with lasting consequences for health. Viral populations in the gut are particularly dynamic in early life before they stabilize in adulthood. The composition of the early-life virome is increasingly recognized as a determinant of disease later in life. Here, we review the development of the virome in healthy infants, as well as the role of the early-life virome in the development of disease states including diarrhea, malnutrition, and autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Kennedy
- Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Lori R Holtz
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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20
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Horne RG, Freedman SB, Johnson-Henry KC, Pang XL, Lee BE, Farion KJ, Gouin S, Schuh S, Poonai N, Hurley KF, Finkelstein Y, Xie J, Williamson-Urquhart S, Chui L, Rossi L, Surette MG, Sherman PM. Intestinal Microbial Composition of Children in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Probiotics to Treat Acute Gastroenteritis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:883163. [PMID: 35774405 PMCID: PMC9238408 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.883163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Compositional analysis of the intestinal microbiome in pre-schoolers is understudied. Effects of probiotics on the gut microbiota were evaluated in children under 4-years-old presenting to an emergency department with acute gastroenteritis. Included were 70 study participants (n=32 placebo, n=38 probiotics) with stool specimens at baseline (day 0), day 5, and after a washout period (day 28). Microbiota composition and deduced functions were profiled using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and predictive metagenomics, respectively. Probiotics were detected at day 5 of administration but otherwise had no discernable effects, whereas detection of bacterial infection (P<0.001) and participant age (P<0.001) had the largest effects on microbiota composition, microbial diversity, and deduced bacterial functions. Participants under 1 year had lower bacterial diversity than older aged pre-schoolers; compositional changes of individual bacterial taxa were associated with maturation of the gut microbiota. Advances in age were associated with differences in gut microbiota composition and deduced microbial functions, which have the potential to impact health later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael G. Horne
- Cell Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen B. Freedman
- Sections of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Xiao-Li Pang
- Alberta Precision Laboratories – Public Health Laboratory (ProvLab), Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Bonita E. Lee
- Women and Children’s Research Institute, Stollery Children’s Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Ken J. Farion
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Serge Gouin
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Suzanne Schuh
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Naveen Poonai
- Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, London Children’s Hospital Health Science Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Katrina F. Hurley
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Children’s Hospital, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Yaron Finkelstein
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jianling Xie
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Children’s Hospital, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Sarah Williamson-Urquhart
- Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Linda Chui
- Alberta Precision Laboratories – Public Health Laboratory (ProvLab), Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Laura Rossi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Michael G. Surette
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University Medical Centre, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Philip M. Sherman
- Cell Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Philip M. Sherman,
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21
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Smith SE, Huang W, Tiamani K, Unterer M, Khan Mirzaei M, Deng L. Emerging technologies in the study of the virome. Curr Opin Virol 2022; 54:101231. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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22
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Parlindungan E, McDonnell B, Lugli GA, Ventura M, van Sinderen D, Mahony J. Dairy streptococcal cell wall and exopolysaccharide genome diversity. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 35442186 PMCID: PMC9453073 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The large-scale and high-intensity application of
Streptococcus thermophilus
species in milk fermentation processes is associated with a persistent threat of (bacterio)phage infection. Phage infection of starter cultures may cause inconsistent, slow or even failed fermentations with consequent diminished product quality and/or output. The phage life cycle commences with the recognition of, and binding to, a specific host-encoded and surface-exposed receptor, which in the case of
S. thermophilus
can be the rhamnose-glucose polysaccharide (RGP; specified by the rgp gene cluster) or exopolysaccharide (EPS; specified by the eps gene cluster). The genomic diversity of 23
S
.
thermophilus
strains isolated from unpasteurized dairy products was evaluated, including a detailed analysis of the rgp and eps loci. In the present study, five novel eps genotypes were identified while variations of currently recognized rgp gene cluster types were also observed. Furthermore, the diversity of rgp genotypes amongst retrieved isolates positively correlated with phage diversity based on phageome analysis of eight representative dairy products. Our findings therefore substantially expand our knowledge on S. thermophilus’ strain and phage diversity in (artisanal) dairy products and highlight the merit of phageome analysis of artisanal and traditional fermented foods as a sensitive marker of dominant microbiota involved in the fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvina Parlindungan
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Brian McDonnell
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Gabriele A Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland
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23
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Mancabelli L, Milani C, Fontana F, Lugli GA, Tarracchini C, Turroni F, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. Mapping bacterial diversity and metabolic functionality of the human respiratory tract microbiome. J Oral Microbiol 2022; 14:2051336. [PMID: 35309410 PMCID: PMC8933033 DOI: 10.1080/20002297.2022.2051336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Human Respiratory Tract (HRT) is colonized by various microbial taxa, known as HRT microbiota, in a manner that is indicative of mutualistic interaction between such microorganisms and their host. Aim To investigate the microbial composition of the HRT and its possible correlation with the different compartments of the respiratory tract. Methods In the current study, we performed an in-depth meta-analysis of 849 HRT samples from public shotgun metagenomic datasets obtained through several distinct collection methods. Results The statistical robustness provided by this meta-analysis allowed the identification of 13 possible HRT-specific Community State Types (CSTs), which appear to be specific to each anatomical region of the respiratory tract. Furthermore, functional characterization of the metagenomic datasets revealed specific microbial metabolic features correlating with the different compartments of the respiratory tract. Conclusion The meta-analysis here performed suggested that the variable presence of certain bacterial species seems to be linked to a location-related abundance gradient in the HRT and seems to be characterized by a specific microbial metabolic capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- 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
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Federico Fontana
- 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
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- 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
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute 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
- Interdepartmental Research Centre “Microbiome Research Hub”, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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24
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Abstract
The field of metagenomics has rapidly expanded to become the go-to method for complex microbial community analyses. However, there is currently no straightforward route from metagenomics to traditional culture-based methods of strain isolation, particularly in (bacterio)phage biology, leading to an investigative bottleneck. Here, we describe a method that exploits specific phage receptor binding protein (RBP)-host cell surface receptor interaction enabling isolation of phage-host combinations from an environmental sample. The method was successfully applied to two complex sample types-a dairy-derived whey sample and an infant fecal sample, enabling retrieval of specific and culturable phage hosts. IMPORTANCE PhRACS aims to bridge the current divide between in silico genetic analyses (i.e., phageomic studies) and traditional culture-based methodology. Through the labeling of specific bacterial hosts with fluorescently tagged recombinant phage receptor binding proteins and the isolation of tagged cells using flow cytometry, PhRACS allows the full potential of phageomic data to be realized in the wet laboratory.
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25
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Lugli GA, Longhi G, Alessandri G, Mancabelli L, Tarracchini C, Fontana F, Turroni F, Milani C, Di Pierro F, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. The Probiotic Identity Card: A Novel “Probiogenomics” Approach to Investigate Probiotic Supplements. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:790881. [PMID: 35126330 PMCID: PMC8814603 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.790881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Probiotic bacteria are widely administered as dietary supplements and incorporated as active ingredients in a variety of functional foods due to their purported health-promoting features. Currently available probiotic products may have issues with regards to their formulation, such as insufficient levels of viable probiotic bacteria, complete lack of probiotic strains that are stated to be present in the product, and the presence of microbial contaminants. To avoid the distribution of such unsuitable or misleading products, we propose here a novel approach named Probiotic Identity Card (PIC), involving a combination of shotgun metagenomic sequencing and bacterial cell enumeration by flow cytometry. PIC was tested on 12 commercial probiotic supplements revealing several inconsistencies in the formulation of five such products based on their stated microbial composition and viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- 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
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- 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
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Francesco Di Pierro
- Velleja Research, Milan, Italy
- Digestive Endoscopy Unit and Gastroenterology, Fondazione Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute 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
- *Correspondence: Marco Ventura,
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26
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Turroni F, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. Bifidobacteria: insights into the biology of a key microbial group of early life gut microbiota. MICROBIOME RESEARCH REPORTS 2021; 1:2. [PMID: 38045555 PMCID: PMC10688781 DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2021.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The establishment and development of the human gut microbiota constitutes a dynamic and non-random process, which involves positive and negative interactions between key microbial taxa and their host. Remarkably, these early life microbiota-host communications include key events with long-term health consequences. Bifidobacteria arguably represent the most emblematic microbial taxon of the infant gut microbiota. In this context, the interactions among bifidobacteria, their human host, and other members of the human gut microbiota are far from completely understood, despite the crucial role they play in the development and maintenance of human physiology and immune system. Here, we highlight the ecological as well as genetic and functional features of bifidobacteria residing in the human gut using genomic and ecology-based information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork Co. Cork, Ireland
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
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27
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Unraveling the Microbiome of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: Insights in Novel Microbial and Metabolomic Biomarkers. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0117621. [PMID: 34704805 PMCID: PMC8549755 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01176-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is among the most relevant gastrointestinal diseases affecting mostly prematurely born infants with low birth weight. While intestinal dysbiosis has been proposed as one of the possible factors involved in NEC pathogenesis, the role of the gut microbiota remains poorly understood. In this study, the gut microbiota of preterm infants was explored to highlight differences in the composition between infants affected by NEC and infants prior to NEC development. A large-scale gut microbiome analysis was performed, including 47 shotgun sequencing data sets generated in the framework of this study, along with 124 retrieved from publicly available repositories. Meta-analysis led to the identification of preterm community state types (PT-CSTs), which recur in healthy controls and NEC infants. Such analyses revealed an overgrowth of a range of opportunistic microbial species accompanying the loss of gut microbial biodiversity in NEC subjects. Moreover, longitudinal insights into preterm infants prior to NEC development indicated Clostridium neonatale and Clostridium perfringens species as potential biomarkers for predictive early diagnosis of this disease. Furthermore, functional investigation of the enzymatic reaction profiles associated with pre-NEC condition suggested DL-lactate as a putative metabolic biomarker for early detection of NEC onset. IMPORTANCE Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal disease occurring predominantly in premature infants whose etiology is still not fully understood. In this study, the analysis of infant fecal samples through shotgun metagenomics approaches revealed a marked reduction of the intestinal (bio)diversity and an overgrowth of (opportunistic) pathogens associated with the NEC development. In particular, dissection of the infant’s gut microbiome before NEC diagnosis highlighted the potential involvement of Clostridium genus members in the progression of NEC. Remarkably, our analyses highlighted a gastrointestinal DL-lactate accumulation among NEC patients that might represent a novel potential functional biomarker for the early diagnosis of NEC.
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Mancabelli L, Milani C, Anzalone R, Alessandri G, Lugli GA, Tarracchini C, Fontana F, Turroni F, Ventura M. Free DNA and Metagenomics Analyses: Evaluation of Free DNA Inactivation Protocols for Shotgun Metagenomics Analysis of Human Biological Matrices. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:749373. [PMID: 34691000 PMCID: PMC8527314 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.749373] [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] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Culture-independent approaches now represent the gold standard for the investigation of both environmental and host-associated complex microbial communities. Nevertheless, despite the great advantages offered by these novel methodologies based on the use of next-generation DNA sequencing approaches, a number of bias sources have been identified. Among the latter, free DNA contained in biological matrices is one of the main sources of inaccuracy in reconstructing the resident microbial population of viable cells. For this reason, the photoreactive DNA-binding dye propidium monoazide (PMAxx™) has been developed by improving standard PMA. This compound binds and inactivates free DNA, thus preventing its amplification and sequencing. While the performances of PMA have been previously investigated, the efficiency with PMAxx™ has been tested mainly for amplicon-based profiling approaches on a limited number of biological matrices. In this study, we validated the performance of PMAxx™ for shotgun metagenomics approaches employing various human-associated matrices. Notably, results revealed that the effectiveness of PMAxx™ in inactivating free DNA of prokaryotes and eukaryotes tends to vary significantly based on the biological matrices analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- 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.,Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Giulia Alessandri
- 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
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- 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
| | - 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
| | - 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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29
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Fontana F, Mancabelli L, Lugli GA, Taracchini C, Alessandri G, Longhi G, Anzalone R, Viappiani A, Famo R, Brognan M, Micondo KH, Turroni F, Ventura M, D'Alfonso R, Milani C. Investigating the infant gut microbiota in developing countries: worldwide metagenomic meta-analysis involving infants living in sub-urban areas of Côte d'Ivoire. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2021; 13:626-636. [PMID: 34152069 PMCID: PMC8518733 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, infants' gut microbiota has aroused constant scientific interest, primarily due to early- and long-term repercussions on the host health. In this context, nutritional challenges such as those found in less developed countries can influence infants' gut microbiota development, thus generating potentially critical health outcomes. However, comprehensive investigations regarding species-level differences in the infant gut microbiota's composition between urbanized and rural countries are still missing. In this study, 16S rRNA and Shallow Shotgun metagenomics sequencing were exploited to dissect the microbial community's species-level composition of 11 faecal samples collected from infants living in a semi-urban area of Sub-Saharan Africa, i.e. Côte d'Ivoire. Moreover, the generated data were coupled with those retrieved from public available metagenomic repositories, including two rural communities and 13 urban communities of industrialized countries. The meta-analysis led to the identification of Infant Species Community States Type (ISCSTs) and microbial species covariances, which were exploited to reveal key signatures of infants living in rural and semi-urban societies. Remarkably, analysis of rural and semi-urban datasets revealed shifts from ISCSTs prevalent in urbanized populations with putative health implications. Thus, indicating the need for population-wide investigations aimed to define the factors determining such potentially harmful gut microbial communities' signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- GenProbio srlParmaItaly
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- 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
| | - Chiara Taracchini
- 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
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- GenProbio srlParmaItaly
| | | | | | - Roch Famo
- Centre Médical Don Orione AnyamaAnyamaCôte d'Ivoire
| | - Marc Brognan
- Centre Médical Don Orione AnyamaAnyamaCôte d'Ivoire
| | | | - 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
| | - Rossella D'Alfonso
- Centre Médical Don Orione AnyamaAnyamaCôte d'Ivoire
- Pediatric Service of Hospital Military D'AbidjanAbidjanCôte d'Ivoire
- Department of Systems MedicineUniversity of Rome Tor VergataRomeItaly
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental SustainabilityUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
- Microbiome Research HubUniversity of ParmaParmaItaly
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30
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Turroni F, Milani C, Ventura M, van Sinderen D. The human gut microbiota during the initial stages of life: insights from bifidobacteria. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 73:81-87. [PMID: 34333445 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Current scientific literature has identified the infant gut microbiota as a multifaceted organ influencing a range of aspects of host-health and development. Many scientific studies have focused on characterizing the main microbial taxa that constitute the resident bacterial population of the infant gut. This has generated a wealth of information on the bacterial composition of the infant gut microbiota, and on the functional role/s exerted by their key microbial members. In this context, one of the most prevalent, abundant and investigated microbial taxon in the human infant gut is the genus Bifidobacterium, due to the purported beneficial activities is bestows upon its host. This review discusses the most recent findings regarding the infant gut microbiota with a particular focus on the molecular mechanisms by which bifidobacteria impact on host health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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.
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland.
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31
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Mahony J, van Sinderen D. Virome studies of food production systems: time for 'farm to fork' analyses. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2021; 73:22-27. [PMID: 34252795 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The food industry is under increasing pressure to produce high quality, traceable and minimally processed foods that are produced using sustainable approaches and ingredients. In line with the latter, there is an increased pressure for plant-based products to replace animal-derived products. Until recently, research efforts have mainly focused on dairy and meat products owing to their economic importance. The shift towards plant-based diets and food production requires a corresponding shift in research efforts to define the microbial requirements for and composition of (novel) plant-based foods, the (micro)organisms that are beneficial to such production systems, and the abundance and role of (bacterio)phages in shaping the microbial landscape of these foods. In this review, we explore current efforts in the area of virome analysis of foods and food production environments and highlight the need for more unified approaches to understand the contribution of phages in food safety and quality, and to develop novel tools to enhance the traceability of foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Mahony
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology and APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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32
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Ferravante C, Memoli D, Palumbo D, Ciaramella P, Di Loria A, D'Agostino Y, Nassa G, Rizzo F, Tarallo R, Weisz A, Giurato G. HOME-BIO (sHOtgun MEtagenomic analysis of BIOlogical entities): a specific and comprehensive pipeline for metagenomic shotgun sequencing data analysis. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:106. [PMID: 34225648 PMCID: PMC8256542 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-04004-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Next-Generation-Sequencing (NGS) enables detection of microorganisms present in biological and other matrices of various origin and nature, allowing not only the identification of known phyla and strains but also the discovery of novel ones. The large amount of metagenomic shotgun data produced by NGS require comprehensive and user-friendly pipelines for data analysis, that speed up the bioinformatics steps, relieving the users from the need to manually perform complex and time-consuming tasks. Results We describe here HOME-BIO (sHOtgun MEtagenomic analysis of BIOlogical entities), an exhaustive pipeline for metagenomics data analysis, comprising three independent analytical modules designed for an inclusive analysis of large NGS datasets. Conclusions HOME-BIO is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that can be run also by users with limited computational expertise. It allows in-depth analyses by removing low-complexity/ problematic reads, integrating the analytical steps that lead to a comprehensive taxonomy profile of each sample by querying different source databases, and it is customizable according to specific users’ needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Ferravante
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy.,Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Naples, Italy.,Genomix4Life, via S. Allende 43/L, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Domenico Memoli
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Domenico Palumbo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Paolo Ciaramella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Loria
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino 1, 80137, Naples, Italy
| | - Ylenia D'Agostino
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Giovanni Nassa
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Roberta Tarallo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy. .,CRGS - Genome Research Center for Health, University of Salerno Campus of Medicine, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry 'Scuola Medica Salernitana', University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 1, 84081, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
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33
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Milani C, Lugli GA, Fontana F, Mancabelli L, Alessandri G, Longhi G, Anzalone R, Viappiani A, Turroni F, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. METAnnotatorX2: a Comprehensive Tool for Deep and Shallow Metagenomic Data Set Analyses. mSystems 2021; 6:e0058321. [PMID: 34184911 PMCID: PMC8269244 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00583-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of bioinformatic tools for read-based taxonomic and functional analyses of metagenomic data sets, including their assembly and management, is rather fragmentary due to the absence of an accepted gold standard. Moreover, most currently available software tools need input of millions of reads and rely on approximations in data analysis in order to reduce computing times. These issues result in suboptimal results in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity when used either for the reconstruction of taxonomic or functional profiles through read analysis or analysis of genomes reconstructed by metagenomic assembly. Moreover, the recent introduction of novel DNA sequencing technologies that generate long reads, such as Nanopore and PacBio, represent a valuable data resource that still suffers from a lack of dedicated tools to perform integrated hybrid analysis alongside short read data. In order to overcome these limitations, here we describe a comprehensive bioinformatic platform, METAnnotatorX2, aimed at providing an optimized user-friendly resource which maximizes output quality, while also allowing user-specific adaptation of the pipeline and straightforward integrated analysis of both short and long read data. To further improve performance quality and accuracy of taxonomic assignment of reads and contigs, custom preprocessed and taxonomically revised genomic databases for viruses, prokaryotes, and various eukaryotes were developed. The performance of METAnnotatorX2 was tested by analysis of artificial data sets encompassing viral, archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryotic (fungal) sequence reads that simulate different biological matrices. Moreover, real biological samples were employed to validate in silico results. IMPORTANCE We developed a novel tool, i.e., METAnnotatorX2, that includes a number of new advanced features for analysis of deep and shallow metagenomic data sets and is accompanied by (regularly updated) customized databases for archaea, bacteria, fungi, protists, and viruses. Both software and databases were developed so as to maximize sensitivity and specificity while including support for shallow metagenomic data sets. Through extensive tests performed on Illumina and Nanopore artificial data sets, we demonstrated the high performance of the software to not only extract taxonomic and functional information from sequence reads but also to assemble and process genomes from metagenomic data. The robustness of these functionalities was validated using "real-life" data sets obtained from Illumina and Nanopore sequencing of biological samples. Furthermore, the performance of METAnnotatorX2 was compared to other available software tools for analysis of shotgun metagenomics data.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- GenProbio srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- 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
| | - 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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34
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Lugli GA, Alessandri G, Milani C, Viappiani A, Fontana F, Tarracchini C, Mancabelli L, Argentini C, Ruiz L, Margolles A, van Sinderen D, Turroni F, Ventura M. Genetic insights into the dark matter of the mammalian gut microbiota through targeted genome reconstruction. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:3294-3305. [PMID: 33973321 PMCID: PMC8359967 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Whole metagenomic shotgun (WMS) sequencing has dramatically enhanced our ability to study microbial genomics. The possibility to unveil the genetic makeup of bacteria that cannot be easily isolated has significantly expanded our microbiological horizon. Here, we report an approach aimed at uncovering novel bacterial species by the use of targeted WMS sequencing. Employing in silico data retrieved from metabolic modelling to formulate a chemically defined medium (CDM), we were able to isolate and subsequently sequence the genomes of six putative novel species of bacteria from the gut of non‐human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | | | - Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Leonardo Mancabelli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Chiara Argentini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Lorena Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Dairy Research Institute of Asturias, Spanish National Research Council (IPLA-CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, Villaviciosa, Asturias, 33300, Spain.,MicroHealth Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Abelardo Margolles
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Dairy Research Institute of Asturias, Spanish National Research Council (IPLA-CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, Villaviciosa, Asturias, 33300, Spain.,MicroHealth Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute and School of Microbiology, Bioscience Institute, National University of Ireland, Cork, T12YT20, Ireland
| | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy.,Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
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35
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Comparative genome analyses of Lactobacillus crispatus isolated from different ecological niches reveal an environmental adaptation of this species to the human vaginal environment. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02899-20. [PMID: 33579685 PMCID: PMC8091109 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02899-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaginal microbiota is defined as the community of bacteria residing in the human vaginal tract. Recent studies have demonstrated that the vaginal microbiota is dominated by members of the Lactobacillus genus, whose relative abundance and microbial taxa composition are dependent on the healthy status of this human body site. Particularly, among members of this genus, the high prevalence of Lactobacillus crispatus is commonly associated with a healthy vaginal environment. In the current study, we assessed the microbial composition of 94 healthy vaginal microbiome samples through shotgun metagenomics analyses. Based on our results we observed that L. crispatus was the most representative species and correlated negatively with bacteria involved in vaginal infections. Therefore, we isolated fifteen L. crispatus strains from different environments in which this species is abounding, ranging from vaginal swabs of healthy women to chicken fecal samples. The genomes of these strains were decoded and their genetic content was analyzed and correlated with their physiological features. An extensive comparative genomic analysis encompassing all publicly available genome sequences of L. crispatus and combined with those decoded in this study, revealed a genetic adaptation of strains to their ecological niche. In addition, in vitro growth experiments involving all isolated L. crispatus strains together with a synthetic vaginal microbiota reveal how this species is able to modulate the composition of the vaginal microbial consortia at strain level. Overall, our findings suggest that L. crispatus plays an important ecological role in reducing the complexity of the vaginal microbiota by depleting pathogenic bacteria.Importance The vaginal microbiota is defined as the community of bacteria residing in the human vaginal tract. Recent studies have demonstrated that the high prevalence of Lactobacillus crispatus species is commonly associated with a healthy vaginal environment. In the current study, we assessed the microbial composition of 94 public healthy vaginal samples through shotgun metagenomics analyses. Results showed that L. crispatus was the most representative species and correlated negatively with bacteria involved in vaginal infections. Moreover, we isolated and sequenced the genome of new L. crispatus strains from different environments and the comparative genomics analysis revealed a genetic adaptation of strains to their ecological niche. In addition, in-vitro growth experiments display the capability of this species to modulate the composition of the vaginal microbial consortia. Overall, our findings suggest an ecological role exploited by L. crispatus in reducing the complexity of the vaginal microbiota toward a depletion of pathogenic bacteria.
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36
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Mancabelli L, Tarracchini C, Milani C, Lugli GA, Fontana F, Turroni F, van Sinderen D, Ventura M. Vaginotypes of the human vaginal microbiome. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:1780-1792. [PMID: 33615652 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The human vaginal environment harbours a community of bacteria that plays an important role in maintaining vaginal health and in protecting this environment from various urogenital infections. This bacterial population, also known as vaginal microbiota, has been demonstrated to be dominated by members of the Lactobacillus genus. Several studies employing 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing have classified the vaginal microbiota into five distinct community state types (CSTs) or vaginotypes. To deepen our understanding of the vaginal microbiota we performed an in-depth meta-analysis of 1312 publicly available datasets concerning healthy vaginal microbiome information obtained by metagenomics sequencing. The analysis confirmed the predominance of taxa belonging to the Lactobacillus genus, followed by members of the genera Gardnerella, Vibrio and Atopobium. Moreover, the statistical robustness offered by this meta-analysis allowed us to disentangle the species-level composition of dominant and accessory taxa constituting each vaginotype and to revisit and refine the previously proposed CST classification. In addition, a functional characterization of the metagenomic datasets revealed particular genetic features associated with each assigned vaginotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Mancabelli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - 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.,Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- 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
| | - 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, 43124, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Institute 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.,Interdepartmental Research Centre "Microbiome Research Hub", University of Parma, Parma, 43124, Italy
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Metagenomic compendium of 189,680 DNA viruses from the human gut microbiome. Nat Microbiol 2021; 6:960-970. [PMID: 34168315 PMCID: PMC8241571 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-021-00928-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages have important roles in the ecology of the human gut microbiome but are under-represented in reference databases. To address this problem, we assembled the Metagenomic Gut Virus catalogue that comprises 189,680 viral genomes from 11,810 publicly available human stool metagenomes. Over 75% of genomes represent double-stranded DNA phages that infect members of the Bacteroidia and Clostridia classes. Based on sequence clustering we identified 54,118 candidate viral species, 92% of which were not found in existing databases. The Metagenomic Gut Virus catalogue improves detection of viruses in stool metagenomes and accounts for nearly 40% of CRISPR spacers found in human gut Bacteria and Archaea. We also produced a catalogue of 459,375 viral protein clusters to explore the functional potential of the gut virome. This revealed tens of thousands of diversity-generating retroelements, which use error-prone reverse transcription to mutate target genes and may be involved in the molecular arms race between phages and their bacterial hosts.
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Abstract
Bifidobacteria represent highly prevalent and abundant members of the gut microbiota during mammalian infancy. In this context, bifidobacterial species have been shown to be correlated with many aspects of host health by means of direct interactions with the host and cohabiting microbes. Metagenomic sequencing of fecal DNA represents a valuable approach for taxonomic and functional profiling of bacterial populations, and has allowed us to appreciate the relevance of bifidobacterial taxa in such complex bacterial communities, especially during the first stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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.
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39
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Coughlan S, Das A, O’Herlihy E, Shanahan F, O’Toole P, Jeffery I. The gut virome in Irritable Bowel Syndrome differs from that of controls. Gut Microbes 2021; 13:1-15. [PMID: 33602058 PMCID: PMC7899630 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1887719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), the most common gastrointestinal disorder, is diagnosed solely on symptoms. Potentially diagnostic alterations in the bacterial component of the gut microbiome (the bacteriome) are associated with IBS, but despite the known role of the virome (particularly bacteriophages), in shaping the gut bacteriome, few studies have investigated the virome in IBS. We performed metagenomic sequencing of fecal Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) from 55 patients with IBS and 51 control individuals. We detected significantly lower alpha diversity of viral clusters comprising both known and novel viruses (viral 'dark matter') in IBS and a significant difference in beta diversity compared to controls, but not between IBS symptom subtypes. The three most abundant bacteriophage clusters belonged to the Siphoviridae, Myoviridae, and Podoviridae families (Order Caudovirales). A core virome (defined as a cluster present in at least 50% of samples) of 5 and 12 viral clusters was identified in IBS and control subjects, respectively. We also identified a subset of viral clusters that showed differential abundance between IBS and controls. The virome did not co-vary significantly with the bacteriome, with IBS clinical subtype, or with Bile Acid Malabsorption status. However, differences in the virome could be related back to the bacteriome as analysis of CRISPR spacers indicated that the virome alterations were at least partially related to the alterations in the bacteriome. We found no evidence for a shift from lytic to lysogenic replication of core viral clusters, a phenomenon reported for the gut virome of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Collectively, our data show alterations in the virome of patients with IBS, regardless of clinical subtype, which may facilitate development of new microbiome-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Coughlan
- 4D Pharma Cork Limited, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - A. Das
- 4D Pharma Cork Limited, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - E. O’Herlihy
- 4D Pharma Cork Limited, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - F. Shanahan
- 4D Pharma Cork Limited, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - P.W. O’Toole
- 4D Pharma Cork Limited, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - I.B. Jeffery
- 4D Pharma Cork Limited, Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
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McDonnell B, Casey E, Milani C, Lugli GA, Viappiani A, Mahony J, Ventura M, van Sinderen D. Phageome Analysis of Bifidobacteria-Rich Samples. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2278:71-85. [PMID: 33649949 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1274-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bifidobacteria are important early colonizers of the human intestinal tract. The relative abundance of bifidobacterial species may be modulated, in part, by bacteriophage activity. Metagenomic studies of these populations is a crucial step in understanding this important interaction. This chapter outlines the technical instructions required to analyze the virome of a bifidobacteria-rich sample, for example, an infant fecal sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian McDonnell
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, Univeristy College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Eoghan Casey
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, Univeristy College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- GenProbio srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Jennifer Mahony
- APC Microbiome Ireland and School of Microbiology, Univeristy College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- School of Microbiology & APC Microbiome Ireland, Univeristy College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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41
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Assessing the Genomic Variability of Gardnerella vaginalis through Comparative Genomic Analyses: Evolutionary and Ecological Implications. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 87:AEM.02188-20. [PMID: 33097505 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02188-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Gardnerella vaginalis is described as a common anaerobic vaginal bacterium whose presence may correlate with vaginal dysbiotic conditions. In the current study, we performed phylogenomic analyses of 72 G. vaginalis genome sequences, revealing noteworthy genome differences underlying a polyphyletic organization of this taxon. Particularly, the genomic survey revealed that this species may actually include nine distinct genotypes (GGtype1 to GGtype9). Furthermore, the observed link between sialidase and phylogenomic grouping provided clues of a connection between virulence potential and the evolutionary history of this microbial taxon. Specifically, based on the outcomes of these in silico analyses, GGtype3, GGtype7, GGtype8, and GGtype9 appear to have virulence potential since they exhibited the sialidase gene in their genomes. Notably, the analysis of 34 publicly available vaginal metagenomic samples allowed us to trace the distribution of the nine G. vaginalis genotypes identified in this study among the human population, highlighting how differences in genetic makeup could be related to specific ecological properties. Furthermore, comparative genomic analyses provided details about the G. vaginalis pan- and core genome contents, including putative genetic elements involved in the adaptation to the ecological niche as well as many putative virulence factors. Among these putative virulence factors, particularly noteworthy genes identified were the gene encoding cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) toxin vaginolysin and genes related to microbial biofilm formation, iron uptake, adhesion to the vaginal epithelium, as well as macrolide antibiotic resistance.IMPORTANCE The identification of nine different genotypes among members of G. vaginalis allowed us to distinguish an uneven distribution of virulence-associated genetic traits within this taxon and thus suggest the potential occurrence of putative pathogen and commensal G. vaginalis strains. These findings, coupled with metagenomics microbial profiling of human vaginal microbiota, permitted us to get insights into the distribution of the genotypes among the human population, highlighting the presence of different structural communities in terms of G. vaginalis genotypes.
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Turrini P, Tescari M, Visaggio D, Pirolo M, Lugli GA, Ventura M, Frangipani E, Visca P. The microbial community of a biofilm lining the wall of a pristine cave in Western New Guinea. Microbiol Res 2020; 241:126584. [DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2020.126584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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The Gut-Muscle Axis in Older Subjects with Low Muscle Mass and Performance: A Proof of Concept Study Exploring Fecal Microbiota Composition and Function with Shotgun Metagenomics Sequencing. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238946. [PMID: 33255677 PMCID: PMC7728056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota could influence the pathophysiology of age-related sarcopenia through multiple mechanisms implying modulation of chronic inflammation and anabolic resistance. The aim of this study was to compare the fecal microbiota composition and functionality, assessed by shotgun metagenomics sequencing, between two groups of elderly outpatients, differing only for the presence of primary sarcopenia. Five sarcopenic elderly subjects and twelve non-sarcopenic controls, classified according to lower limb function and bioimpedance-derived skeletal muscle index, provided a stool sample, which was analyzed with shotgun metagenomics approaches, to determine the overall microbiota composition, the representation of bacteria at the species level, and the prediction of bacterial genes involved in functional metabolic pathways. Sarcopenic subjects displayed different fecal microbiota compositions at the species level, with significant depletion of two species known for their metabolic capacity of producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Roseburia inulinivorans, and of Alistipes shahii. Additionally, their fecal metagenome had different representation of genes belonging to 108 metabolic pathways, namely, depletion of genes involved in SCFA synthesis, carotenoid and isoflavone biotransformation, and amino acid interconversion. These results support the hypothesis of an association between microbiota and sarcopenia, indicating novel possible mediators, whose clinical relevance should be investigated in future studies.
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Multi-omics Approaches To Decipher the Impact of Diet and Host Physiology on the Mammalian Gut Microbiome. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:AEM.01864-20. [PMID: 32948523 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01864-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, various studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiota influences host metabolism. However, these studies were focused primarily on a single or a limited range of host species, thus preventing a full exploration of possible taxonomic and functional adaptations by gut microbiota members as a result of host-microbe coevolution events. In the current study, the microbial taxonomic profiles of 250 fecal samples, corresponding to 77 host species that cover the mammalian branch of the tree of life, were reconstructed by 16S rRNA gene-based sequence analysis. Moreover, shotgun metagenomics was employed to investigate the metabolic potential of the fecal microbiomes of 24 mammals, and subsequent statistical analyses were performed to assess the impact of host diet and corresponding physiology of the digestive system on gut microbiota composition and functionality. Functional data were confirmed and extended through metatranscriptome assessment of gut microbial populations of eight animals, thus providing insights into the transcriptional response of gut microbiota to specific dietary lifestyles. Therefore, the analyses performed in this study support the notion that the metabolic features of the mammalian gut microbiota have adapted to maximize energy extraction from the host's diet.IMPORTANCE Diet and host physiology have been recognized as main factors affecting both taxonomic composition and functional features of the mammalian gut microbiota. However, very few studies have investigated the bacterial biodiversity of mammals by using large sample numbers that correspond to multiple mammalian species, thus resulting in an incomplete understanding of the functional aspects of their microbiome. Therefore, we investigated the bacterial taxonomic composition of 250 fecal samples belonging to 77 host species distributed along the tree of life in order to assess how diet and host physiology impact the intestinal microbial community by selecting specific microbial players. Conversely, the application of shotgun metagenomics and metatranscriptomics approaches to a group of selected fecal samples allowed us to shed light on both metabolic features and transcriptional responses of the intestinal bacterial community based on different diets.
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45
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O'Neill IJ, Sanchez Gallardo R, Saldova R, Murphy EF, Cotter PD, McAuliffe FM, van Sinderen D. Maternal and infant factors that shape neonatal gut colonization by bacteria. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 14:651-664. [PMID: 32552141 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2020.1784725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Early life is a critical developmental window coinciding with the establishment of a community of neonatal gut microbes which are vitally important for immune development. The composition of this microbial community is affected by multiple factors. AREAS COVERED The effect of pre-pregnancy and pregnancy maternal health, maternal nutrition, pregnancy disorders such as gestational diabetes, maternal antibiotic usage, delivery mode, infant feeding, and infant antibiotic usage on gut microbial composition are outlined along with the potential impact of associated microbiota differences on infant health. EXPERT OPINION Recent developments in understanding what shapes our microbiota indicates that the greatest impact on infant gut microbiota composition during the first year of life is seen with the mode of delivery, infant diet, and infant antibiotic usage. Current data is insufficient to fully establish the role of apparently less important factors such as maternal health on microbiota development although their impact is likely smaller. Technological advances will allow for improved understanding of underlying mechanisms by which specific microbes impact on infant health, which in time will enable full appreciation of the role of the gut microbiota in early life development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J O'Neill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland , Cork, Ireland
| | - Rocio Sanchez Gallardo
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland , Cork, Ireland.,School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland , Cork, Ireland
| | - Radka Saldova
- The National Institute for Bioprocessing, Research, and Training (NIBRT) , Dublin, Ireland.,UCD School of Medicine, College of Health and Agricultural Science, University College Dublin , Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eileen F Murphy
- Alimentary Health Group, Cork Airport Business Park , Cork, Ireland
| | - Paul D Cotter
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland , Cork, Ireland.,Teagasc Food Research Centre , Cork, Ireland
| | - Fionnuala M McAuliffe
- UCD Perinatal Research Centre, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital , Dublin, Ireland
| | - Douwe van Sinderen
- APC Microbiome Ireland, National University of Ireland , Cork, Ireland.,School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland , Cork, Ireland
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Untangling Species-Level Composition of Complex Bacterial Communities through a Novel Metagenomic Approach. mSystems 2020; 5:5/4/e00404-20. [PMID: 32723792 PMCID: PMC7394355 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00404-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
16S small-subunit (SSU) rRNA gene-based bacterial profiling is the gold standard for cost-effective taxonomic reconstruction of complex bacterial populations down to the genus level. However, it has been proven ineffective in clinical and research settings requiring higher taxonomic resolution. We therefore developed a bacterial profiling method based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region employing optimized primers and a comprehensive ITS database for accurate cataloguing of bacterial communities at (sub)species resolution. Performance of the microbial ITS profiling pipeline was tested through analysis of host-associated, food, and environmental matrices, while its efficacy in clinical settings was assessed through analysis of mucosal biopsy specimens of colorectal cancer, leading to the identification of putative novel biomarkers. The data collected indicate that the proposed pipeline represents a major step forward in cost-effective identification and screening of microbial biomarkers at (sub)species level, with relevant impact in research, industrial, and clinical settings.IMPORTANCE We developed a novel method for accurate cataloguing of bacterial communities at (sub)species level involving amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region through optimized primers, followed by next-generation sequencing and taxonomic classification of amplicons by means of a comprehensive database of bacterial ITS sequences. Host-associated, food, and environmental matrices were employed to test the performance of the microbial ITS profiling pipeline. Moreover, mucosal biopsy samples from colorectal cancer patients were analyzed to demonstrate the scientific relevance of this profiling approach in a clinical setting through identification of putative novel biomarkers. The results indicate that the ITS-based profiling pipeline proposed here represents a key metagenomic tool with major relevance for research, industrial, and clinical settings.
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47
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Ledormand P, Desmasures N, Dalmasso M. Phage community involvement in fermented beverages: an open door to technological advances? Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2020; 61:2911-2920. [PMID: 32649837 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1790497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) are considered the most abundant biological entities on Earth. An increasing interest in understanding phage communities, also called viromes or phageomes, has arisen over the past decade especially thanks to the development and the accessibility of Next Generation Sequencing techniques. Despite the increasing amount of available metagenomic data on microbial communities in various habitats, viromes remain poorly described in the scientific literature particularly when it comes to fermented food and beverages such as wine and cider. In this review, a particular attention is paid to the current knowledge on phage communities, with a special focus on fermented food viromes and the methodological tools available to undertake their study. There is a striking lack of available data on the fermented foods and beverages viromes. As far as we know, and although a number of phages have been isolated from wine, no general study has to date been carried out to assess the diversity of viromes in fermented beverages and their possible interactions with microbiota throughout the fermentation process. With the aim of establishing connections between the currently used technologies to carry out the analysis of viromes, possible applications of current knowledge to fermented beverages are examined.
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48
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Microbial transmission in animal social networks and the social microbiome. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:1020-1035. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1220-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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49
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Carr VR, Shkoporov A, Hill C, Mullany P, Moyes DL. Probing the Mobilome: Discoveries in the Dynamic Microbiome. Trends Microbiol 2020; 29:158-170. [PMID: 32448763 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
There has been an explosion of metagenomic data representing human, animal, and environmental microbiomes. This provides an unprecedented opportunity for comparative and longitudinal studies of many functional aspects of the microbiome that go beyond taxonomic classification, such as profiling genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance, interactions with the host, potentially clinically relevant functions, and the role of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). One of the most important but least studied of these aspects are the MGEs, collectively referred to as the 'mobilome'. Here we elaborate on the benefits and limitations of using different metagenomic protocols, discuss the relative merits of various sequencing technologies, and highlight relevant bioinformatics tools and pipelines to predict the presence of MGEs and their microbial hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria R Carr
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK; The Alan Turing Institute, British Library, London, UK.
| | - Andrey Shkoporov
- APC Microbiome Ireland, School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Colin Hill
- APC Microbiome Ireland, School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Peter Mullany
- Eastman Dental Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - David L Moyes
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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50
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Kulikov EE, Golomidova AK, Babenko VV, Letarov AV. A Simple Method for Extraction of the Horse Feces Virome DNA, Suitable for Oxford Nanopore Sequencing. Microbiology (Reading) 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s002626172002006x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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