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PMID: 20802827 Published · epublish English Comparative Study Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Comparative analyses of the bacterial microbiota of the human nostril and oropharynx.

mBio ·Vol. 1 ·No. 3 ·2010-06-22

Lemon KP, Klepac-Ceraj V, Schiffer HK, Brodie EL, Lynch SV, Kolter R

Abstract

The nose and throat are important sites of pathogen colonization, yet the microbiota of both is relatively unexplored by culture-independent approaches. We examined the bacterial microbiota of the nostril and posterior wall of the oropharynx from seven healthy adults using two culture-independent methods, a 16S rRNA gene microarray (PhyloChip) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. While the bacterial microbiota of the oropharynx was richer than that of the nostril, the oropharyngeal microbiota varied less among participants than did nostril microbiota. A few phyla accounted for the majority of the bacteria detected at each site: Firmicutes and Actinobacteria in the nostril and Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in the oropharynx. Compared to culture-independent surveys of microbiota from other body sites, the microbiota of the nostril and oropharynx show distinct phylum-level distribution patterns, supporting niche-specific colonization at discrete anatomical sites. In the nostril, the distribution of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was reminiscent of that of skin, though Proteobacteria were much less prevalent. The distribution of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in the oropharynx was most similar to that in saliva, with more Proteobacteria than in the distal esophagus or mouth. While Firmicutes were prevalent at both sites, distinct families within this phylum dominated numerically in each. At both sites there was an inverse correlation between the prevalences of Firmicutes and another phylum: in the oropharynx, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and in the nostril, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. In the nostril, this inverse correlation existed between the Firmicutes family Staphylococcaceae and Actinobacteria families, suggesting potential antagonism between these groups.

MeSH Terms
Adult Bacteria/classification,genetics,isolation & purification,metabolism Biodiversity Female Humans Male Metagenome Middle Aged Molecular Sequence Data Nasal Cavity/microbiology Oropharynx/microbiology
Authors & Affiliations
6 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Lemon Katherine P
Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. katherine.lemon@childrens.harvard.edu
Klepac-Ceraj Vanja
Schiffer Hilary K
Brodie Eoin L
Lynch Susan V
Kolter Roberto
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Article Info
Journal
mBio
Abbr.
mBio
ISSN
2150-7511
DOI
10.1128/mBio.00129-10
Email
katherine.lemon@childrens.harvard.edu
Published
2010-06-22
Epub
2010-00-22
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101519231
PMCID
PMC2925076
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM058213 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM082137 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM082137 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM58213 · United States
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PubMed source DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00129-10 PMC Full Text View journal details
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