gutMEGA: a database of the human gut MEtaGenome Atlas

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingfeng Zhang ◽  
Kai Yu ◽  
Shihua Li ◽  
Xiaolong Zhang ◽  
Qi Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Homo Sapiens ◽  
Experimental Information ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Disease Emergence ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Sequencing Studies ◽  
Physiological Homeostasis ◽  
Gut Metagenome

Abstract The gut microbiota plays important roles in human health through regulating both physiological homeostasis and disease emergence. The accumulation of metagenomic sequencing studies enables us to better understand the temporal and spatial variations of the gut microbiota under different physiological and pathological conditions. However, it is inconvenient for scientists to query and retrieve published data; thus, a comprehensive resource for the quantitative gut metagenome is urgently needed. In this study, we developed gut MEtaGenome Atlas (gutMEGA), a well-annotated comprehensive database, to curate and host published quantitative gut microbiota datasets from Homo sapiens. By carefully curating the gut microbiota composition, phenotypes and experimental information, gutMEGA finally integrated 59 132 quantification events for 6457 taxa at seven different levels (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species) under 776 conditions. Moreover, with various browsing and search functions, gutMEGA provides a fast and simple way for users to obtain the relative abundances of intestinal microbes among phenotypes. Overall, gutMEGA is a convenient and comprehensive resource for gut metagenome research, which can be freely accessed at http://gutmega.omicsbio.info.

scholarly journals Effect of Freezing on Gut Microbiota Composition and Functionality for In Vitro Fermentation Experiments

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2207
Author(s):  
Sergio Pérez-Burillo ◽  
Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira ◽  
Beatriz Navajas-Porras ◽  
Telmo Blasco ◽  
Francesco Balzerani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Metabolic Reconstruction ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Fecal Material ◽  
In Vitro Fermentation ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Sequencing Studies

The gut microbiota has a profound effect on human health and is modulated by food and bioactive compounds. To study such interaction, in vitro batch fermentations are performed with fecal material, and some experimental designs may require that such fermentations be performed with previously frozen stools. Although it is known that freezing fecal material does not alter the composition of the microbial community in 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic sequencing studies, it is not known whether the microbial community in frozen samples could still be used for in vitro fermentations. To explore this, we undertook a pilot study in which in vitro fermentations were performed with fecal material from celiac, cow’s milk allergic, obese, or lean children that was frozen (or not) with 20% glycerol. Before fermentation, the fecal material was incubated in a nutritious medium for 6 days, with the aim of giving the microbial community time to recover from the effects of freezing. An aliquot was taken daily from the stabilization vessel and used for the in vitro batch fermentation of lentils. The microbial community structure was significantly different between fresh and frozen samples, but the variation introduced by freezing a sample was always smaller than the variation among individuals, both before and after fermentation. Moreover, the potential functionality (as determined in silico by a genome-scaled metabolic reconstruction) did not differ significantly, possibly due to functional redundancy. The most affected genus was Bacteroides, a fiber degrader. In conclusion, if frozen fecal material is to be used for in vitro fermentation purposes, our preliminary analyses indicate that the functionality of microbial communities can be preserved after stabilization.

scholarly journals The Potential Prebiotic Berberine Combined With Methimazole Improved the Therapeutic Effect of Graves’ Disease Patients Through Regulating the Intestinal Microbiome

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Han ◽  
Chaoping Cen ◽  
Qianying Ou ◽  
Yonggui Pan ◽  
Jiachao Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Thyroid Function ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Intestinal Microbiome ◽  
Graves Disease ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Clinical Indicators ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Metabolism Disorder ◽  
Diffuse Goiter

Graves’ disease, a typical metabolism disorder, causes diffuse goiter accompanied by ocular abnormalities and ocular dysfunction. Although methimazole (MI) is a commonly used drug for the treatment of GD, the efficacy of methimazole is only limited to the control of clinical indicators, and the side effects of MI should be seriously considered. Here, we designed a 6-month clinical trial that divided the patients into two groups: a methimazole group (n=8) and a methimazole combined with potential prebiotic berberine group (n=10). The effects of both treatments on thyroid function and treatment outcomes in patients with GD were assessed by thyroid index measurements and gut microbiota metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that the addition of berberine restored the patients’ TSH and FT3 indices to normal levels, whereas MI alone restored only FT3. In addition, TRAb was closer to the healthy threshold at the end of treatment with the drug combination. MI alone failed to modulate the gut microbiota of the patients. However, the combination of berberine with methimazole significantly altered the microbiota structure of the patients, increasing the abundance of the beneficial bacteria Lactococcus lactis while decreasing the abundance of the pathogenic bacteria Enterobacter hormaechei and Chryseobacterium indologenes. Furthermore, further mechanistic exploration showed that the addition of berberine resulted in a significant upregulation of the synthesis of enterobactin, which may have increased iron functioning and thus restored thyroid function. In conclusion, methimazole combined with berberine has better efficacy in patients with GD, suggesting the potential benefit of berberine combined with methimazole in modulating the composition of intestinal microbes in the treatment of GD, providing new strong evidence for the effectiveness of combining Chinese and Western drugs from the perspective of modulating the intestinal microbiota.

The Food-gut Human Axis: The Effects of Diet on Gut Microbiota and Metabolome

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (19) ◽  
pp. 3567-3583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria De Angelis ◽  
Gabriella Garruti ◽  
Fabio Minervini ◽  
Leonilde Bonfrate ◽  
Piero Portincasa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Immune Functions ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Dietary Treatments ◽  
The Relationship

Gut microbiota, the largest symbiont community hosted in human organism, is emerging as a pivotal player in the relationship between dietary habits and health. Oral and, especially, intestinal microbes metabolize dietary components, affecting human health by producing harmful or beneficial metabolites, which are involved in the incidence and progression of several intestinal related and non-related diseases. Habitual diet (Western, Agrarian and Mediterranean omnivore diets, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets) drives the composition of the gut microbiota and metabolome. Within the dietary components, polymers (mainly fibers, proteins, fat and polyphenols) that are not hydrolyzed by human enzymes seem to be the main leads of the metabolic pathways of gut microbiota, which in turn directly influence the human metabolome. Specific relationships between diet and microbes, microbes and metabolites, microbes and immune functions and microbes and/or their metabolites and some human diseases are being established. Dietary treatments with fibers are the most effective to benefit the metabolome profile, by improving the synthesis of short chain fatty acids and decreasing the level of molecules, such as p-cresyl sulfate, indoxyl sulfate and trimethylamine N-oxide, involved in disease state. Based on the axis diet-microbiota-health, this review aims at describing the most recent knowledge oriented towards a profitable use of diet to provide benefits to human health, both directly and indirectly, through the activity of gut microbiota.

scholarly journals Oleuropein Ameliorates Advanced Stage of Type 2 Diabetes in db/db Mice by Regulating Gut Microbiota

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2131
Author(s):  
Shujuan Zheng ◽  
Yanan Wang ◽  
Jingjing Fang ◽  
Ruixuan Geng ◽  
Mengjie Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Model Assessment ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Approach

Previous studies have reported the therapeutic effects of oleuropein (OP) consumption on the early stage of type 2 diabetes. However, the efficacy of OP on the advanced stage of type 2 diabetes has not been investigated, and the relationship between OP and intestinal flora has not been studied. Therefore, in this study, to explore the relieving effects of OP intake on the advanced stage of type 2 diabetes and the regulatory effects of OP on intestinal microbes, diabetic db/db mice (17-week-old) were treated with OP at the dose of 200 mg/kg for 15 weeks. We found that OP has a significant effect in decreasing fasting blood glucose levels, improving glucose tolerance, lowering the homeostasis model assessment–insulin resistance index, restoring histopathological features of tissues, and promoting hepatic protein kinase B activation in db/db mice. Notably, OP modulates gut microbiota at phylum level, increases the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Deferribacteres, and decreases the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes. OP treatment increases the relative abundance of Akkermansia, as well as decreases the relative abundance of Prevotella, Odoribacter, Ruminococcus, and Parabacteroides at genus level. In conclusion, OP may ameliorate the advanced stage of type 2 diabetes through modulating the composition and function of gut microbiota. Our findings provide a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of advanced stage type 2 diabetes.

scholarly journals Comparison between 16S rRNA and shotgun sequencing data for the taxonomic characterization of the gut microbiota

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Durazzi ◽  
Claudia Sala ◽  
Gastone Castellani ◽  
Gerardo Manfreda ◽  
Daniel Remondini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
16S Rrna Gene ◽  
Gene Sequencing ◽  
16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽  
Shotgun Sequencing ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Rrna Gene Sequencing

AbstractIn this paper we compared taxonomic results obtained by metataxonomics (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and metagenomics (whole shotgun metagenomic sequencing) to investigate their reliability for bacteria profiling, studying the chicken gut as a model system. The experimental conditions included two compartments of gastrointestinal tracts and two sampling times. We compared the relative abundance distributions obtained with the two sequencing strategies and then tested their capability to distinguish the experimental conditions. The results showed that 16S rRNA gene sequencing detects only part of the gut microbiota community revealed by shotgun sequencing. Specifically, when a sufficient number of reads is available, Shotgun sequencing has more power to identify less abundant taxa than 16S sequencing. Finally, we showed that the less abundant genera detected only by shotgun sequencing are biologically meaningful, being able to discriminate between the experimental conditions as much as the more abundant genera detected by both sequencing strategies.

scholarly journals Reversion of Gut Microbiota during the Recovery Phase in Patients with Asymptomatic or Mild COVID-19: Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1237
Author(s):  
Han-Na Kim ◽  
Eun-Jeong Joo ◽  
Chil-Woo Lee ◽  
Kwang-Sung Ahn ◽  
Hyung-Lae Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Gut Dysbiosis ◽  
16S Rrna Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Microbiome Data ◽  
Negative Conversion

Patients with COVID-19 have been reported to experience gastrointestinal symptoms as well as respiratory symptoms, but the effects of COVID-19 on the gut microbiota are poorly understood. We explored gut microbiome profiles associated with the respiratory infection of SARS-CoV-2 during the recovery phase in patients with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19. A longitudinal analysis was performed using the same patients to determine whether the gut microbiota changed after recovery from COVID-19. We applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to analyze two paired fecal samples from 12 patients with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19. Fecal samples were selected at two time points: during SARS-CoV-2 infection (infected state) and after negative conversion of the viral RNA (recovered state). We also compared the microbiome data with those from 36 healthy controls. Microbial evenness of the recovered state was significantly increased compared with the infected state. SARS-CoV-2 infection induced the depletion of Bacteroidetes, while an abundance was observed with a tendency to rapidly reverse in the recovered state. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the infected state was markedly higher than that in the recovered state. Gut dysbiosis was observed after infection even in patients with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19, while the composition of the gut microbiota was recovered after negative conversion of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Modifying intestinal microbes in response to COVID-19 might be a useful therapeutic alternative.

scholarly journals Gut microbiota differs between children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and healthy siblings in taxonomic and functional composition: a metagenomic analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 312 (4) ◽  
pp. G327-G339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Knoll ◽  
Kristoffer Forslund ◽  
Jens Roat Kultima ◽  
Claudius U. Meyer ◽  
Ulrike Kullmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Fecal Microbiome ◽  
Microbial Dysbiosis ◽  
Healthy Siblings ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
Sibling Study

Current treatment for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients is often ineffective, with serious side effects. Manipulating the gut microbiota via fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an emerging treatment approach but remains controversial. We aimed to assess the composition of the fecal microbiome through a comparison of pediatric IBD patients to their healthy siblings, evaluating risks and prospects for FMT in this setting. A case-control (sibling) study was conducted analyzing fecal samples of six children with Crohn’s disease (CD), six children with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 12 healthy siblings by metagenomic sequencing. In addition, lifetime antibiotic intake was retrospectively determined. Species richness and diversity were significantly reduced in UC patients compared with control [Mann-Whitney U-test false discovery rate (MWU FDR) = 0.011]. In UC, bacteria positively influencing gut homeostasis, e.g., Eubacterium rectale and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, were significantly reduced in abundance (MWU FDR = 0.05). Known pathobionts like Escherichia coli were enriched in UC patients (MWU FDR = 0.084). Moreover, E. coli abundance correlated positively with that of several virulence genes (SCC > 0.65, FDR < 0.1). A shift toward antibiotic-resistant taxa in both IBD groups distinguished them from controls [MWU Benjamini-Hochberg-Yekutieli procedure (BY) FDR = 0.062 in UC, MWU BY FDR = 0.019 in CD). The collected results confirm a microbial dysbiosis in pediatric UC, and to a lesser extent in CD patients, replicating associations found previously using different methods. Taken together, these observations suggest microbiotal remodeling therapy from family donors, at least for children with UC, as a viable option. NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this sibling study, prior reports of microbial dysbiosis in IBD patients from 16S rRNA sequencing was verified using deep shotgun sequencing and augmented with insights into the abundance of bacterial virulence genes and bacterial antibiotic resistance determinants, seen against the background of data on the specific antibiotic intake of each of the study participants. The observed dysbiosis, which distinguishes patients from siblings, highlights such siblings as potential donors for microbiotal remodeling therapy in IBD.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Gut Microbiota in Children With Biliary Atresia After Liver Transplantation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Song ◽  
Li-Ying Sun ◽  
Zhi-Jun Zhu ◽  
Lin Wei ◽  
Wei Qu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Transplantation ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Biliary Atresia ◽  
Control Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Metagenomic Sequencing ◽  
Polyamine Biosynthesis ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Significant Difference

Background and AimsBiliary atresia (BA) is an idiopathic neonatal cholestasis and is the most common indication in pediatric liver transplantation (LT). Previous studies have suggested that the gut microbiota (GM) in BA is disordered. However, the effect of LT on gut dysbiosis in patients with BA has not yet been elucidated.MethodsPatients with BA (n = 16) and healthy controls (n = 10) were recruited. In the early life of children with BA, Kasai surgery is a typical procedure for restoring bile flow. According to whether BA patients had previously undergone Kasai surgery, we divided the post-LT patients into the with-Kasai group (n = 8) and non-Kasai group (n = 8). Fecal samples were collected in both the BA and the control group; among BA patients, samples were obtained again 6 months after LT. A total of 40 fecal samples were collected, of which 16 were pre-LT, 14 were post-LT (8 were with-Kasai, 6 were non-Kasai), and 10 were from the control group. Metagenomic sequencing was performed to evaluate the GM.ResultsThe Kruskal-Wallis test showed a statistically significant difference in the number of genes between the pre-LT and the control group, the pre-LT and the post-LT group (P &lt; 0.05), but no statistical difference between the post-LT and the control group. Principal coordinate analysis also showed that the microbiome structure was similar between the post-LT and control group (P &gt; 0.05). Analysis of the GM composition showed a significant decrease in Serratia, Enterobacter, Morganella, Skunalikevirus, and Phifllikevirus while short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria such as Roseburia, Blautia, Clostridium, Akkermansia, and Ruminococcus were increased after LT (linear discriminant analysis &gt; 2, P &lt; 0.05). However, they still did not reach the normal control level. Concerning functional profiles, lipopolysaccharide metabolism, multidrug resistance, polyamine biosynthesis, GABA biosynthesis, and EHEC/EPEC pathogenicity signature were more enriched in the post-LT group compared with the control group. Prior Kasai surgery had a specific influence on the postoperative GM.ConclusionLT partly improved the GM in patients with BA, which provided new insight into understanding the role of LT in BA.

scholarly journals Is there a role of gut microbiota in mental health?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus W. Lange ◽  
Katharina M. Lange ◽  
Yukiko Nakamura ◽  
Shigehiko Kanaya
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Intervention Trials

Research on the interaction between gut microbiota and the brain may have implications for our understanding of brain function, cognition, behavior and mental health. The literature on gut microbiota and its role in the pathophysiology and potential treatment of mental disorders has proliferated in recent years. Several neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, have been linked to the gut microbiota. The present perspective discusses the promise and pitfalls of gut microbiota research in relation to mental health. The manipulation of intestinal microbes in animals has revealed connections between gut microbiota and both normal and pathological brain functions. The hope fueling this research is that gut microbiota could be harnessed to prevent and treat mental disorders. The links observed between an imbalance of gut microbiota and impaired behavioral and mental states in humans are correlational. It is therefore essential to establish cause and effect relationships. No distinct gut microbiota patterns linked to different mental disorders have yet been identified. Large-scale, longitudinal trials need to examine whether the gut microbiota is a valid therapeutic target for mental disorders and whether pre-clinical findings and initial results of intervention trials (e.g., administration of probiotics) are of clinical relevance.

scholarly journals Microbial enzymes induce colitis by reactivating triclosan in the mouse gastrointestinal tract

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianan Zhang ◽  
Morgan E. Walker ◽  
Katherine Z. Sanidad ◽  
Hongna Zhang ◽  
Yanshan Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Metabolic Activation ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Environmental Chemicals ◽  
Intestinal Microbes ◽  
Targeted Inhibition

AbstractEmerging research supports that triclosan (TCS), an antimicrobial agent found in thousands of consumer products, exacerbates colitis and colitis-associated colorectal tumorigenesis in animal models. While the intestinal toxicities of TCS require the presence of gut microbiota, the molecular mechanisms involved have not been defined. Here we show that intestinal commensal microbes mediate metabolic activation of TCS in the colon and drive its gut toxicology. Using a range of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo approaches, we identify specific microbial β-glucuronidase (GUS) enzymes involved and pinpoint molecular motifs required to metabolically activate TCS in the gut. Finally, we show that targeted inhibition of bacterial GUS enzymes abolishes the colitis-promoting effects of TCS, supporting an essential role of specific microbial proteins in TCS toxicity. Together, our results define a mechanism by which intestinal microbes contribute to the metabolic activation and gut toxicity of TCS, and highlight the importance of considering the contributions of the gut microbiota in evaluating the toxic potential of environmental chemicals.

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