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PMID: 23828941 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

The long-term stability of the human gut microbiota.

Science (New York, N.Y.) ·Vol. 341 ·No. 6141 ·2013-07-05 ·Pages 1237439

Faith JJ, Guruge JL, Charbonneau M, Subramanian S, Seedorf H, Goodman AL, Clemente JC, Knight R, Heath AC, Leibel RL, Rosenbaum M, Gordon JI

Abstract

A low-error 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing method, in combination with whole-genome sequencing of >500 cultured isolates, was used to characterize bacterial strain composition in the fecal microbiota of 37 U.S. adults sampled for up to 5 years. Microbiota stability followed a power-law function, which when extrapolated suggests that most strains in an individual are residents for decades. Shared strains were recovered from family members but not from unrelated individuals. Sampling of individuals who consumed a monotonous liquid diet for up to 32 weeks indicated that changes in strain composition were better predicted by changes in weight than by differences in sampling interval. This combination of stability and responsiveness to physiologic change confirms the potential of the gut microbiota as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic target.

MeSH Terms
Adult Bacteria/classification,genetics,isolation & purification Body Composition Caloric Restriction Family Feces/microbiology Female Gastrointestinal Tract/microbiology Genome, Bacterial/genetics Genomic Instability Humans Male Metagenome Models, Biological RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics Sequence Analysis, DNA Time Factors Weight Loss Young Adult
Chemicals
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Authors & Affiliations
12 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Faith Jeremiah J
Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA.
Guruge Janaki L
Charbonneau Mark
Subramanian Sathish
Seedorf Henning
Goodman Andrew L
Clemente Jose C
Knight Rob
Heath Andrew C
Leibel Rudolph L
Rosenbaum Michael
Gordon Jeffrey I
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Article Info
Journal
Science (New York, N.Y.)
Abbr.
Science
ISSN
1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.1237439
Published
2013-07-05
Pages
1237439
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0404511
PMCID
PMC3791589
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAAA NIH HHS · K05 AA017688 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · P01 DK078669 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · R01 DK030292 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · R01 DK070977 · United States
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · DK64774 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · DK30292 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · DK078669 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · R01 DK064773 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · R37 DK030292 · United States
NCATS NIH HHS · UL1TR000040 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · DK70977 · United States
NIDDK NIH HHS · P30 DK026687 · United States
NCATS NIH HHS · UL1 TR000040 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1126/science.1237439 PMC Full Text View journal details
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