Extensive profiling of a complex microbial community by high-throughput sequencing

Complex microbial communities remain poorly characterized despite their ubiquity and importance to human and animal health, agriculture, and industry. Attempts to describe microbial communities by either traditional microbiological methods or molecular methods have been limited in both scale and precision. The availability of genomics technologies offers an unprecedented opportunity to conduct more comprehensive characterizations of microbial communities. Here we describe the application of an established molecular diagnostic method based on the chaperonin-60 sequence, in combination with high-throughput sequencing, to the profiling of a microbial community: the pig intestinal microbial community. Four libraries of cloned cpn60 sequences were generated by two genomic DNA extraction procedures in combination with two PCR protocols. A total of 1,125 cloned cpn60 sequences from the four libraries were sequenced. Among the 1,125 cloned cpn60 sequences, we identified 398 different nucleotide sequences encoding 280 unique peptide sequences. Pairwise comparisons of the 398 unique nucleotide sequences revealed a high degree of sequence diversity within the library. Identification of the likely taxonomic origins of cloned sequences ranged from imprecise, with clones assigned to a taxonomic subclass, to precise, for cloned sequences with 100% DNA sequence identity with a species in our reference database. The compositions of the four libraries were compared and differences related to library construction parameters were observed. Our results indicate that this method is an alternative to 16S rRNA sequence-based studies which can be scaled up for the purpose of performing a potentially comprehensive assessment of a given microbial community or for comparative studies.     

基于高通量测序的精神分裂症患者肠道菌群多样性

目的 探讨精神分裂症患者肠道菌群多样性变化。方法 收集16例精神分裂症患者（schizophrenia,Sch）与18例健康者（healthy donor,HD）的粪便样本,提取肠道菌群基因组,扩增16S rRNA基因,运用Illumina平台进行测序。对测序结果进行多样性和物种组成差异分析。结果 精神分裂症患者组肠道菌群在门、纲、目、科、属、种、分类操作单元（operational taxonomic units,OTUs）水平的群落种类数目少于健康对照组。Alpha多样性指标中患者组的Ace指数（226.58±31.67）、Chao1指数（222.29±34.45）和Shannon指数（2.66±0.69）明显低于健康对照组（293.63±56.07、302.2±57.99、3.59±0.36）,差异均有统计学意义（Ps<0.001）,而Simpson指数（0.20±0.17）明显高于健康对照组（0.07±0.03）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.01）;Beta多样性分析显示两组研究对象肠道菌群样本可被鉴别区分。精神分裂症患者组与健康对照组样本在门和属水平上肠道菌群组成和含量有差异,其中患者组拟杆菌门和软壁菌门占比明显低于健康组,差异有统计学意义（21.76% vs.27.05%,P=0.008;0.00% vs. 0.20%,P=0.033）,而放线菌门明显高于健康组（13.52% vs. 2.88%,P=0.020）,差异有统计学意义;患者组拟杆菌属和柔嫩梭菌属占比明显低于健康组（9.15% vs. 20.60%,P=0.031;3.29% vs. 9.58%,P=0.005）,差异有统计学意义,而双歧杆菌属、普雷沃菌属和巨单胞菌属明显高于健康组（10.89% vs.1.78%,P=0.025;10.88% vs.1.98%,P=0.046;10.78% vs.2.69%,P=0.026）,差异有统计学意义。结论 基于16S rRNA的高通量测序有助于分析精神分裂症患者肠道菌群多样性变化,为研究肠道菌群与精神分裂症的关系提供新的思路和理论依据。     

16S rRNA基因高通量测序方法检测奶牛场常用干草表面微生物群落结构及多样性

【目的】随着中国奶牛业的发展,干草需求量与日俱增。作为天然牧草,干草可以成为家畜传播病原体的载体。以干草表面附着物为研究对象,了解干草中细菌群落结构以及致病菌属特征。【方法】对来自6个不同奶牛场饲草舍的干草样本,应用Illumina Mi Seq高通量测序技术测定干草表面附着物细菌的16S r RNA基因V3-V4变异区序列,分析不同干草样本细菌群落组成。【结果】干草样本中的细菌在97%的相似水平下共得到OTU个数为15 416,涵盖了29门87纲144目219科323属的细菌。微生物多样性分析表明,干草样本具有很高的细菌多样性,不同样本多样性存在差异。对干草样本菌群中丰度较高的14种病原菌属进行分析,发现相较于人工种植牧草制备的干草,天然牧草制备的干草中病原菌属丰度较高。【结论】研究解析了干草样本中微生物的多样性、丰度及主要病原菌属的特征,对奶牛场疾病防控有一定指导意义。     

Perchlorate reduction by hydrogen autotrophic bacteria and microbial community analysis using high-throughput sequencing

Hydrogen autotrophic reduction of perchlorate have advantages of high removal efficiency and harmless to drinking water. But so far the reported information about the microbial community structure was comparatively limited, changes in the biodiversity and the dominant bacteria during acclimation process required detailed study. In this study, perchlorate-reducing hydrogen autotrophic bacteria were acclimated by hydrogen aeration from activated sludge. For the first time, high-throughput sequencing was applied to analyze changes in biodiversity and the dominant bacteria during acclimation process. The Michaelis–Menten model described the perchlorate reduction kinetics well. Model parameters q _max and K _s were 2.521–3.245 (mg ClO₄ ^?/gVSS h) and 5.44–8.23 (mg/l), respectively. Microbial perchlorate reduction occurred across at pH range 5.0–11.0; removal was highest at pH 9.0. The enriched mixed bacteria could use perchlorate, nitrate and sulfate as electron accepter, and the sequence of preference was: NO₃ ^? > ClO₄ ^? > SO₄ ^2?. Compared to the feed culture, biodiversity decreased greatly during acclimation process, the microbial community structure gradually stabilized after 9 acclimation cycles. The Thauera genus related to Rhodocyclales was the dominated perchlorate reducing bacteria (PRB) in the mixed culture.     

高通量测序分析小头裸裂尻鱼皮肤和肠道的微生物多样性

【目的】解析小头裸裂尻鱼不同部位的微生物群落结构、物种组成、多样性特征以及菌群功能差异。【方法】通过Illumina MiSeq扩增子高通量测序,分析小头裸裂尻鱼皮肤黏膜、肠道黏膜和肠道内容物3个部位微生物菌群组成差异,并通过Tax4Fun预测菌群潜在功能。【结果】皮肤黏膜微生物α多样性最高,其Shannon指数显著高于肠道黏膜(P<0.05)和肠道内容物(P<0.001)。主坐标分析表明,皮肤黏膜微生物显著区别于其他2个部位。在门水平小头裸裂尻鱼3个部位相对丰度前五的微生物类群均为放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)和蓝藻门(Cyanobacteria),其中肠道内容物中放线菌门相对丰度(46.53%)显著高于肠道黏膜(29.23%,P<0.05)和皮肤黏膜(25.83%,P<0.01);肠道黏膜中变形菌门的相对丰度(40.33%)显著高于肠道内容物(26.10%,P<0.05)。对各部位相对丰度前10的菌群进行分析发现,小头裸裂尻鱼皮肤黏...     

Characterization of microbial biofilms in a thermophilic biogas system by high-throughput metagenome sequencing

DNAs of two biofilms of a thermophilic two-phase leach-bed biogas reactor fed with rye silage and winter barley straw were sequenced by 454-pyrosequencing technology to assess the biofilm-based microbial community and their genetic potential for anaerobic digestion. The studied biofilms matured on the surface of the substrates in the hydrolysis reactor (HR) and on the packing in the anaerobic filter reactor (AF). The classification of metagenome reads showed Clostridium as most prevalent bacteria in the HR, indicating a predominant role for plant material digestion. Notably, insights into the genetic potential of plant-degrading bacteria were determined as well as further bacterial groups, which may assist Clostridium in carbohydrate degradation. Methanosarcina and Methanothermobacter were determined as most prevalent methanogenic archaea. In consequence, the biofilm-based methanogenesis in this system might be driven by the hydrogenotrophic pathway but also by the aceticlastic methanogenesis depending on metabolite concentrations such as the acetic acid concentration. Moreover, bacteria, which are capable of acetate oxidation in syntrophic interaction with methanogens, were also predicted. Finally, the metagenome analysis unveiled a large number of reads with unidentified microbial origin, indicating that the anaerobic degradation process may also be conducted by up to now unknown species.     

高通量测序在病原微生物耐药方面的应用进展

高通量测序是一种高效、准确、价廉的新型测序技术,随着近年来的不断推广,逐渐进入不同的研究领域。目前,多重耐药菌的感染给患者和社会增加了巨大负担,耐药机制和抗菌药物的研发是科学研究的热点之一。高通量测序技术也开始在病原微生物耐药方面发挥了巨大作用,尤其是在耐药机制研究方面,解决了一些用现有的技术无法解决的问题。本文从病原菌鉴定、耐药机制、药物新靶标、耐药菌流行病学以及用药指导等方面阐述了高通量测序在病原微生物耐药方面的应用及进展,重点讨论了耐药机制和抗菌药物新靶标进展以及现阶段存在的问题。高通量测序技术不断发展,尤其是进入病原微生物研究领域后延伸出新的研究技术和方法,随着相关的生物信息学的进步,此项技术应用将会更加广泛。     

基于高通量测序技术测定普通棉耳狨猴粪便微生物多样性

目的应用高通量测序技术分析普通棉耳狨猴粪便菌群的结构与组成,为进一步开发利用新型实验动物奠定基础。方法采集4只成年雄性普通棉耳狨猴粪便,用细菌16SrRNA通用引物扩增V3~V4区,采用IlluminaMiSeq测序平台对普通棉耳狨猴粪便微生物进行研究。结果共测序获得315511条有效序列与596个OTU。普通棉耳狨猴粪便中的细菌共鉴定出9个门、14个纲、26个目、50个科、82个属和64个种和226个OTU。其中,1)优势门是拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes),平均含量分别为54.52%和25.39%2)丰度最高的纲为拟杆菌纲(Bacteroidia)和厌氧菌纲(Negativicutes),平均含量为54.5%和17%。3)乳杆菌目(Lactobacillales)和拟杆菌目(Bacteroidales)的丰度最高,为50.01%和20.52%。4)普雷沃菌科(Prevotellaceae)和双歧杆菌科(Bifidobacteriaceae)所占丰度最高,平均含量分别为43.14%和11.33%。5)双歧杆菌属(Bifidobacterium)和拟杆菌属(Bacteroides)的丰度较高,平均含量分别为11.33%11.12%。6)有益菌群双歧杆菌属丰度较高,但在所检测样本中都含有。7)丰度最高的前10个种,归类为7个科、5个纲。这10个种占到33.16%,其他53种总和仅占到0.74%,其他未鉴定出菌种,且相对丰度还较高,需要进一步研究。8)PICRUSt功能预测分析:氨基酸转运等代谢功能和蛋白质翻译、折叠遗传信息处理功能丰度较高。结论应用高通量测序技术,较全面的检测了普通棉耳狨猴粪便菌群,普通棉耳狨猴粪便细菌组成具有丰富的多样性,其中还有许多未被分类鉴定且相对丰度较高的细菌,需要进一步研究。     

Spatial and temporal continuity of kangaroo rat populations shown by sequencing mitochondrial DNA from museum specimens

Summary The advent of direct sequencing via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has opened up the possibility of molecular studies on museum specimens. Here we analyze genetic variation in populations over time by applying PCR to DNA extracted from museum specimens sampled from populations of one species over the last 78 years. Included in this study were 43 museum specimens of the Panamint kangaroo ratDipodomys panamintinus from localities representing each of three geographically distinct subspecies. These specimens were originally collected and prepared as dried skins in 1911, 1917, or 1937. For each specimen, a 225-bp segment of the mitochondrial genome was sequenced. These mitochondrial DNA sequences were compared to those of 63 specimens collected at the same localities in 1988. The three subspecies were nearly completely distinct. Only 2 of the 106 individuals shared mitochondrial types between subspecies. For all three localities, the diversity levels were maintained between the two temporal samples. The concordance observed between the two temporally separate phylogenies supports the use of museum specimens for phylogenetic inference. This study demonstrates the accuracy and routine nature of the use of museum specimens in the analysis of mitochondrial sequence variation in natural populations and, importantly, that a temporal aspect can now be added to such studies.     

基于高通量测序分析健康人咀嚼槟榔前后口腔菌群多样性

目的 为揭示健康人咀嚼槟榔前后的菌群结构及其多样性,分析咀嚼槟榔前、咀嚼5 min后和咀嚼30 min后口腔内菌群结构变化以及多样性特征。方法 通过收集8个人咀嚼槟榔前后唾液,用宏基因组DNA进行高通量测序。 结果 咀嚼槟榔5 min后,链球菌属（Streptococcus）、普雷沃菌_7属（Prevotella_7）、韦荣球菌属（Veillonella）、纤毛菌属（Leptotrichia）、嗜血杆菌属（Haemophilus）、拟普雷沃菌属（Alloprevotella）、普雷沃菌属（Prevotella）、卟啉单胞菌属（Porphyromonas）、梅毒螺旋体_2（Treponema_2）、普雷沃菌_6属（Prevotella_6）和兼性双球菌属（Gemella）较咀嚼前相对丰度明显下降,分别下降了16.57%、12.94%、9.38%、23.08%、54.55%、52.63%、30.00%、42.86%、30.00%、16.67%和42.86%,纤毛菌属（Leptotrichia）降幅最大。而咀嚼30 min后,纤毛菌属（Leptotrichia）、嗜血杆菌属（Haemophilus）、拟普雷沃菌属（Alloprevotella）、卟啉单胞菌属（Porphyromonas）、梅毒螺旋体_2（Treponema_2）和罗思菌属（Rothia）的相对丰度较咀嚼5 min后均增大。结论 链球菌属（Streptococcus）、韦荣球菌属（Veillonella）作为主要变化的菌属,在咀嚼槟榔的过程中,对口腔产生一定的作用,可能是口腔龋齿等牙周疾病的直接或间接影响因子。     

Dynamics of a bloom of halophilic archaea in the Dead Sea

After a period of more than ten years in which bacterial and algal community sizes were extremely small, a dense bloom of halophilic archaea developed in the upper 5–10 m of the Dead Sea water column in the summer of 1992. The development of this bloom followed a dilution of the upper water layer by winter rainfloods, which enabled the development of a short-lived dense bloom of the unicellular green alga Dunaliella parva. The dense archaeal community (up to 3.5 × 10⁷ cells m1^–1 in June 1992) imparted a red coloration to the Dead Sea, due to its high content of bacterioruberin. Bacteriorhodopsin was not detected. High levels of potential heterotrophic activity were associated with the bloom, as measured by the incorporation of labeled organic substrates. After the decline of the algal bloom, archaeal numbers in the lake decreased only little, and most of the community was still present at the end of 1993. The amount of carotenoid pigment per cell, however, decreased 2–3-fold between June 1992 and August 1993. No new algal and archaeal blooms developed after the winter floods of 1992–1993, in spite of the fact that salinity values in the surface layer were sufficiently low to support a new algal bloom. A remnant of the 1992 Dunaliella bloom maintained itself at the lower end of the pycnocline at depths between 7 and 13 m (September 1992–August 1993). Its photosynthetic activity was small, and very little stimulation of archaeal growth and activity was associated with this algal community.     

Aptamer selection by high-throughput sequencing and informatic analysis

Traditional methods for selecting aptamers require multiple rounds of selection and optimization in order to identify aptamers that bind with high affinity to their targets. Here we describe an assay that requires only one round of positive selection followed by high-throughput DNA sequencing and informatic analysis in order to select high-affinity aptamers. The assay is flexible, requires less hands on time, and can be used by laboratories with minimal expertise in aptamer biology to quickly select high-affinity aptamers to a target of interest. This assay has been utilized to successfully identify aptamers that bind to thrombin with dissociation constants in the nanomolar range.     

基于高通量测序的禁牧对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

麋鹿的采食、躺卧和践踏行为均会对栖息地土壤环境造成影响,进而影响土壤微生物群落结构。利用高通量测序技术,分析江苏大丰麋鹿国家级自然保护区禁牧点和补饲点土壤细菌和真菌群落结构差异,并结合土壤理化性质探究禁牧对土壤微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明细菌群落的优势菌门为变形菌门,真菌群落的优势菌门为子囊菌门。禁牧改变了土壤微生物群落结构,在门水平上提高了变形菌门、放线菌门和担子菌门的相对丰度,降低了绿弯菌门、厚壁菌门和子囊菌门的相对丰度,禁牧点与补饲点土壤微生物群落多样性的相似性较低。冗余分析中,细菌受土壤环境因子的影响大于真菌,其中土壤pH是影响细菌和真菌群落最大的土壤环境因子。研究揭示了禁牧对土壤微生物群落结构的影响,为保护区制定麋鹿生境恢复方案提供参考。     

基于DNA高通量测序分析生料酿醋过程中的真菌多样性

【目的】了解生料酿醋不同阶段的真菌群落结构及其变化规律,为生料酿醋工艺优化提供理论指导。【方法】从山西一家生料酿醋企业采集原料、麸曲、发酵缸醋醅、熏醋样、淋醋样等涉及生料酿醋各阶段的样品共51份,扩增真菌ITS1区序列并利用高通量测序技术分析真菌多样性。【结果】除5份样品未扩增成功外,在剩余46份样品中共检测到489个真菌OTU,以子囊菌为主(占88.3%)。原料、麸曲、发酵缸醋醅、熏醋样、淋醋样等不同组别间在真菌群落结构方面存在显著差异。原料和麸曲中的真菌物种丰富度最低,发酵缸醋醅的真菌物种丰富度最高,熏醋样和淋醋样中的真菌物种丰富度又有所降低。原料和麸曲中的优势真菌分别为酿酒酵母和黑曲霉,是发酵阶段真菌的重要来源,但发酵缸醋醅中也检测到大量可能来源于发酵室环境的真菌。发酵缸醋醅在不同发酵时期间也存在明显的真菌群落结构差异,并可据此划分成发酵前期(包括发酵第2–13天的样品)和发酵后期(包括发酵第17–46天的样品)。酿酒酵母和亮白曲霉的丰度在发酵前期显著高于发酵后期,而黑曲霉、一种小戴卫霉科真菌等的丰度在发酵后期显著高于发酵前期。【结论】生料酿醋的不同阶段和发酵缸醋醅发酵的不同时期,其真菌群落结构都存在明显差异。酿酒酵母和黑曲霉是发酵阶段的优势真菌。本研究为生料酿醋工艺优化提供了理论依据。     

Biodegradation of oil sands process affected water in sequencing batch reactors and microbial community analysis by high-throughput pyrosequencing

Two sequencing batch reactors (SBR) were constructed and filled with different inocula of activated sludge (AS) and mature fine tailings (MFT) to treat oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The COD was reduced by 82% in the AS-SBR and 43% in the MFT-SBR during phase I using 10% OSPW and 90% synthetic wastewater as reactor feed. However, COD removal reached 12% and 20% in the AS-SBR and the MFT-SBR, respectively, when 100% raw OSPW was fed into the reactors. Maximum removal of acid-extractable organics (AEO) was 8.7% and 16.6% in the AS-SBR and the MFT-SBR, respectively with a hydraulic retention time of one day. Pyrosequencing analysis revealed that Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum and beta- and gamma-Proteobacteria were dominant classes in both reactors. Evidence of a microbial community change was observed when influent raw OSPW was switched from 50 to 100%. More significant changes in the AS-SBR community were detected.     

基于高通量测序分析桃蚜体内微生物群落结构及多样性

为探明桃蚜Myzus persicae体内微生物群落结构及其种类多样性,采用Illumina HiSeq二代测序技术检测桃蚜体内细菌16S rRNA基因和真菌ITS基因序列的方法,分析取食白菜Brassica pekinensis和甘蓝Brassica oleracea的无翅孤雌桃蚜成虫体内微生物群落结构及多样性。研究结果获得桃蚜体内细菌16S rDNA和真菌ITS1优质序列分别为473 750条和472 980条,并根据序列相似性对其进行聚类分析,分别获得959个和1 424个OTUs。基于OTUs分类结果,共注释鉴定细菌类群26个门、55个纲、128个目、227个科、419属、451种,真菌类群10个门、31个纲、77个目、172个科、343属、441种。其中,在门级水平上,取食白菜和甘蓝的桃蚜体内细菌类群均以变形菌门Proteobacteria内的细菌(占73.11%,80.10%)为优势菌;真菌类群均以子囊菌门Ascomycota真菌(占51.91%,50.98%)为优势菌。在属级水平上,取食白菜和甘蓝的桃蚜体内细菌均以布赫纳氏菌属Buchnera(占60.82%,56.11%...     

Diversity and functional profile of bacterial communities at Lancaster acid mine drainage dam,South Africa as revealed by 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing analysis

Extremophiles - This study surveyed physicochemical properties and bacterial community structure of water and sediments from an acid mine drainage (AMD) dam in South Africa. High-throughput...     

Diversity of environmental Mycobacterium isolates from hemodialysis water as shown by a multigene sequencing approach

Here we used a multigene sequencing approach for the identification and molecular typing of environmental mycobacteria of the fast-growing subgroup. Strains were isolated from hemodialysis water and clinical samples. Eleven type strains of related species of the genus were also included in this study. To gain further insight into the diversity of the environmental mycobacteria, we analyzed several housekeeping genes (16S rRNA, ITS1, gyrB, hsp65, recA, rpoB, and sodA). No individual phylogenetic tree allowed good discrimination of all of the species studied. However, a concatenated and a consensus analysis, combining the genes, allowed better discrimination of each strain to the species level, and the increase in sequence size also led to greater tree robustness. This approach is useful not only for the discrimination and identification of environmental mycobacteria but also for their molecular typing and studies of population genetics. Our results demonstrate high genetic diversity among the isolates obtained, which are probably new species of the genus.