Comparison of DNA extraction methods for human gut microbial community profiling

The human gut harbors a vast range of microbes that have significant impact on health and disease. Therefore, gut microbiome profiling holds promise for use in early diagnosis and precision medicine development. Accurate profiling of the highly complex gut microbiome requires DNA extraction methods that provide sufficient coverage of the original community as well as adequate quality and quantity. We tested nine different DNA extraction methods using three commercial kits (TianLong Stool DNA/RNA Extraction Kit (TS), QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit (QS), and QIAamp PowerFecal DNA Kit (QP)) with or without additional bead-beating step using manual or automated methods and compared them in terms of DNA extraction ability from human fecal sample. All methods produced DNA in sufficient concentration and quality for use in sequencing, and the samples were clustered according to the DNA extraction method. Inclusion of bead-beating step especially resulted in higher degrees of microbial diversity and had the greatest effect on gut microbiome composition. Among the samples subjected to bead-beating method, TS kit samples were more similar to QP kit samples than QS kit samples. Our results emphasize the importance of mechanical disruption step for a more comprehensive profiling of the human gut microbiome.     

Human microbiomics

The sequencing of the human genome has driven the study of human biology in a significant way and enabled the genome-wide study to elucidate the molecular basis of complex human diseases. Recently, the role of microbiota on human physiology and health has received much attention. The influence of gut microbiome (the collective genomes of the gut microbiota) in obesity has been demonstrated, which may pave the way for new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies such as bacteriotherapy. The significance and recent understandings in the area of “human microbiomics” are discussed here.     

基于16S rRNA基因高通量测序的太原地区健康成年人肠道菌群结构分析

目的 探讨太原地区健康成年人的肠道菌群结构及多样性。方法 采集太原地区20份健康成年人的粪便样本,提取DNA、构建菌群16S rRNA基因克隆文库、高通量测序并进行生物信息学分析。结果 测序获得优质序列1 383 680条,平均序列为69 184条±551条,归类于455个OTUs;所有样本共含有10个菌门,101个菌属,141种菌;其中核心菌门3个,依次为拟杆菌门（63.13%）、厚壁菌门（31.14%）和变形菌门（5.10%）,占所有样本微生物总量的99.37%;丰度最高的前10个菌属依次为拟杆菌属（43.34%）、普氏菌属（15.51%）、栖粪杆菌属（4.92%）、罗氏菌属（4.73%）、毛螺菌属（3.27%）、萨特菌属（2.50%）、粪球菌属（2.38%）、布劳特菌属（2.31%）、瘤胃球菌属（2.18%）和副杆状菌属（1.61%）,占样本微生物总量的82.75%,未分类的菌属占6.84%。结论 健康成年人肠道微生物群落复杂,但主要菌群相对稳定,为进一步研究人体肠道菌群结构与功能提供了参考依据。     

土壤样品中DNA提取方法的比较

对土壤样品中提取DNA方法的有效性进行了比较研究。如果以细胞有效裂解和DNA产率为标准,用冻融进行预处理再结合SDS和溶菌酶的化学裂解方法,是效果最佳的DNA抽提方法,细胞裂解率为82%,DNA产率达20.8μg/g。为了去除PCR抑制物,将DNA样品进一步用柱纯化,回收率为80%。纯化后的DNA样品可用于16SrDNA扩增及其他分子操作。     

中国林蛙蝌蚪肠道及皮肤微生物多样性分析

肠道及皮肤微生物群落对宿主的健康有着至关重要的影响.本研究使用16S rRNA基因测序技术研究中国林蛙(Rana chensinensis)Gosner38期蝌蚪肠道和皮肤共生微生物群落组成之间的差异.在门水平上,林蛙蝌蚪肠道中的优势门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)和拟杆菌...     

A method for obtaining DNA from compost

An effective cell lysis method for extraction of bacterial genomic DNA from compost was developed in this study. Enzymatic disruption method, physical–chemical combination method, and commercial kit method were used to extract DNA from compost samples and were compared by analyzing DNA yield and efficient cell lysis. The results showed that all the three methods can be used to extract high-quality DNA from compost, but the enzymatic method had better cell lysis efficiency and DNA yields than others without the use of special equipment and expensive spending. Comparison of different methods for lysing gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis indicated that the enzymatic cell lysis is superior for destroying the gram-positive cell wall. Spin-bind DNA column was used for DNA purification, and the purity of the purified sample was checked by polymerase chain reaction to amplify a region of the 16S rRNA. Results indicated that the part of 16S rRNA were amplified from all the purified DNA samples, and all the amplification products could be digested by the restriction enzyme HhaI.     

Comparative analysis of fecal DNA extraction methods with phylogenetic microarray: Effective recovery of bacterial and archaeal DNA using mechanical cell lysis

Several different protocols are used for fecal DNA extraction, which is an integral step in all phylogenetic and metagenomic approaches to characterize the highly diverse intestinal ecosystem. We compared four widely used methods, and found their DNA yields to vary up to 35-fold. Bacterial, archaeal and human DNA was quantified by real-time PCR, and a compositional analysis of different extracts was carried out using the Human Intestinal Tract Chip, a 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic microarray. The overall microbiota composition was highly similar between the methods in contrast to the profound differences between the subjects (Pearson correlations > 0.899 and 0.735, respectively). A detailed comparative analysis of mechanical and enzymatic methods showed that despite their overall similarity, the mechanical cell disruption by repeated bead beating showed the highest bacterial diversity and resulted in significantly improved DNA extraction efficiency of archaea and some bacteria, including Clostridium cluster IV. By applying the mechanical disruption method a high prevalence (67%) of methanogenic archaea was detected in healthy subjects (n = 24), exceeding the typical values reported previously. The assessment of performance differences between different methodologies serves as a concrete step towards the comparison and reliable meta-analysis of the results obtained in different laboratories.     

DNA extraction for 16S rRNA gene analysis to determine genetic diversity in deep sediment communities

A protocol was devised which permitted the extraction of DNA from deep marine sediments up to 503 m below the sea floor. These sediments have been laid down over the last 3 million years. 16S rRNA gene sequences were amplified from the DNA by the polymerase chain reaction. The details of the successful extraction and polymerase chain reaction methodology varied between samples from different depths. This emphasizes the attention to detail required to allow the diversity of bacteria in these deep sediments to be studied.     

Clostridium,Bacteroides and Prevotella associates with increased fecal metabolites Trans-4-Hydroxy-L-proline and Genistein in active pulmonary tuberculosis patients during anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy with isoniazid-rifampin-pyrazinamide-ethambutol (HRZE)

PurposeTo investigated the changes of gut microbiome and fecal metabolome during anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy with isoniazid (H)-rifampin (R)-pyrazinamide (Z)-ethambutol (E).Patients and methods(1) In this study, we recruited 168 stool specimens from 49 healthy volunteers without M. tuberculosis (Mtb), 30 healthy volunteers with latently infected by Mtb, 41 patients with active tuberculosis (ATB), 28 patients with 2-month HRZE treatment and 20 patients with 2-month HRZE followed by 4-month HR treatment. (2) We used 16S rRNA sequencing and an untargeted Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer-based metabolomics to investigate the changes of gut microbiome and the alteration of fecal metabolome, respectively, during anti-TB chemotherapy.ResultsMtb infection can reduce the diversity of intestinal flora of ATB patients and change their taxonomic composition, while the diversity of intestinal flora of ATB patients were restored during anti-TB chemotherapy. Especially, family Veillonellacea and Bateroidaceae and their genera Veillonella and Bacteroides significantly increased in the gut microbiota during anti-TB chemotherapy. Additionally, Mtb infection dynamically regulates fecal metabolism in ATB patients during anti-TB chemotherapy. Interestingly, the altered abundance of fecal metabolites correlated with the altered gut microbiota, especially the change of gut Clostridium, Bacteroides and Prevotella was closely related to the change of fecal metabolites such as Trans-4-Hydroxy-L-proline and Genistein caused by Mtb infection or anti-TB chemotherapy.ConclusionAnti-TB chemotherapy with HRZE can disrupt both gut microbiotas and metabolome in ATB patients. Some specific genera and metabolites are depleted or enriched during anti-TB chemotherapy. Therefore, revealing potential relevance between gut microbiota and anti-TB chemotherapy will provide potential biomarkers for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy in ATB patients.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-022-01003-2.     

一种从活性污泥中提取微生物总DNA的方法

对活性污泥的微生物群落进行研究的首要前提是获得大量的高纯度微生物基因组DNA。本文建立了一种高效、简便的提取活性污泥总DNA方法。从提取的核酸总量、纯度、基因组完整性等多方面对所得到的DNA质量进行了评价,结果表明,本法从单位活性污泥中提取的DNA得率为105-823μg/g,结构完整,纯度很高,无需进一步的纯化,可直接进行微生物群落分析及构建文库等后续分子生物学操作。现在实验室使用的提取活性污泥中DNA的方法,纯度普遍都无法达到PCR反应和建立文库的要求,本文建立的活性污泥DNA提取方法则可以克服这一难题。     

一种从鸟类剥制标本提取DNA的改进方法

应用非损伤性取样的方法,收集鸟类剥制标本的皮肤组织和羽毛,用无水乙醇、浸泡液预处理的方法抽提DNA,结果两者都可提取DNA供PCR扩增。将PCR产物经序列测定和比对分析,证明提取的DNA为目的DNA,表明本试验方法可行。鸟类剥制标本的皮肤组织和羽毛可以作为研究种群遗传学的资源。     

Chelex-100快速提取放线菌DNA作为PCR扩增模板

旨在建立有效扩增16S rRNA基因序列的放线菌DNA快速提取的方法。采用Chelex-100法提取放线菌DNA,使用PCR扩增16S rRNA基因序列评价提取核酸的质量。结果显示,Chelex-100法能够在10 min之内从放线菌中快速提取DNA,所提取的DNA可以直接用于PCR扩增反应,PCR扩增产物电泳条带清晰,符合理论预期结果。因此,Chelex-100法提取放线菌DNA可以作为16S rRNA基因序列PCR扩增的模板,该方法具有经济、简便、快速的特点,适合于放线菌菌株大规模地筛选和分类鉴定。     

Comparative analysis of DNA extraction methods to study the body surface microbiota of insects: A case study with ant cuticular bacteria

High‐throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene has considerably helped revealing the essential role of bacteria living on insect cuticles in the ecophysiology and behaviour of their hosts. However, our understanding of host‐cuticular microbiota feedbacks remains hampered by the difficulties of working with low bacterial DNA quantities as with individual insect cuticle samples, which are more prone to molecular biases and contaminations. Herein, we conducted a methodological benchmark on the cuticular bacterial loads retrieved from two Neotropical ant species of different body size and ecology: Atta cephalotes (~15 mm) and Pseudomyrmex penetrator (~5 mm). We evaluated the richness and composition of the cuticular microbiota, as well as the amount of biases and contamination produced by four DNA extraction protocols. We also addressed how bacterial community characteristics would be affected by the number of individuals or individual body size used for DNA extraction. Most extraction methods yielded similar results in terms of bacterial diversity and composition for A. cephalotes (~15 mm). In contrast, greater amounts of artefactual sequences and contaminations, as well as noticeable differences in bacterial community characteristics were observed between extraction methods for P. penetrator (~5 mm). We also found that large (~15 mm) and small (~5 mm) A. cephalotes individuals harbour different bacterial communities. Our benchmark suggests that cuticular microbiota of single individual insects can be reliably retrieved provided that blank controls, appropriate data cleaning, and individual body size and functional role within insect society are considered in the experiment.     

Identification of mixed bacterial DNA contamination in broad-range PCR amplification of 16S rDNA V1 and V3 variable regions by pyrosequencing of cloned amplicons

Using a sensitive and rapid method combining broad-range PCR amplification of bacterial 16S rDNA fragments and pyrosequencing for detection, identification and typing, we have found contaminating bacterial DNA in our reagents used for PCR. Identified bacteria are the water-borne bacterial genera Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Xanthomonas, Ralstonia and Bacillus. Our results are in concordance with recent reports of contaminated industrial water systems. In light of this conclusion, we believe that there is a need for increased awareness of possible contamination in uncertified widely used molecular biology reagents, including ultra-pure water. Since sequence-based 16S rDNA techniques are used in a variety of settings for bacterial typing and the characterization of microbial communities, we feel that future certification of molecular biology reagents, as free of nucleic acids, would be advantageous.     

七种蝽mtDNA-16S rRNA基因序列多态性的研究(半翅目:蝽科)

测定蝽亚科2族4属7个种(宽碧蝽,辉蝽,凹肩辉蝽,角肩真蝽,褐真蝽,斑真蝽,全蝽)9个个体线粒体DNA(mtDNA)的16SrRNA基因片段,分析了其遗传多态性。通过测定该基因片段的序列发现,不同种群存在丰富的DNA序列多态性,同一种的不同个体差异较小,9个个体具有9种基因型。在扩增的长为400bp的基因片段中,通过排序,有338个碱基可用于这9个个体的比较。在这一基因片段中,共检测到122个多态性核苷酸位点(约36．1％)。NJ法构建的分子系统树表明碧蝽属归于短中片族,全蝽属的分化较其它属要早。     

Microbial Community Dysbiosis and Functional Gene Content Changes in Apple Flowers due to Fire Blight

Despite the plant microbiota plays an important role in plant health, little is known about the potential interactions of the flower microbiota with pathogens. In this study, we investigated the microbial community of apple blossoms when infected with Erwinia amylovora. The long-read sequencing technology, which significantly increased the genome sequence resolution, thus enabling the characterization of fire blight-induced changes in the flower microbial community. Each sample showed a unique microbial community at the species level. Pantoea agglomerans and P. allii were the most predominant bacteria in healthy flowers, whereas E. amylovora comprised more than 90% of the microbial population in diseased flowers. Furthermore, gene function analysis revealed that glucose and xylose metabolism were enriched in diseased flowers. Overall, our results showed that the microbiome of apple blossoms is rich in specific bacteria, and the nutritional composition of flowers is important for the incidence and spread of bacterial disease.     

DNA条形码技术在海洋贝类鉴定中的实践: 以大亚湾生态监控区为例

为提高物种鉴定的准确性, 本研究采用DNA条形码技术对大亚湾生态监控区冬季采集的贝类样品进行了种类鉴定。结果表明, 26个形态种中, 有15个可以通过线粒体COI和16S rRNA基因的系统发育分析鉴定到种的水平。部分形态上难以鉴定的种类, 如线缝摺塔螺(Ptychobela suturalis)和区系螺(Funa sp.)可以通过条形码实现有效鉴定。锯齿巴非蛤(Paphia gallus)、西格织纹螺(Nassarius siquijorensis)、爪哇拟塔螺(Turricula javana)等种类存在相当大的种内遗传距离, 有存在隐存种的可能性。尽管基于线粒体COI和16S rRNA基因的种内遗传距离和属内种间的遗传距离发生重合, 无明显的条形码间隙, 但通过系统树的方法仍能有效鉴定物种。可见, DNA条形码技术能有效提高海洋贝类物种鉴定的准确性并发现隐存种。     

Molecular diversity of Bacteroides spp. in human fecal microbiota as determined by group-specific 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis

Bacteroides spp. represent a prominent bacterial group in human intestinal microbiota with roles in symbiosis and pathogenicity; however, the detailed composition of this group in human feces has yet to be comprehensively characterized. In this study, the molecular diversity of Bacteroides spp. in human fecal microbiota was analyzed from a seven-member, four-generation Chinese family using Bacteroides spp. group-specific 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis. A total of 549 partial 16S rRNA sequences amplified by Bacteroides spp.-specific primers were classified into 52 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with a 99% sequence identity cut-off. Twenty-three OTUs, representing 83% of all clones, were related to 11 validly described Bacteroides species, dominated by Bacteroides coprocola, B. uniformis, and B. vulgatus. Most of the OTUs did not correspond to known species and represented hitherto uncharacterized bacteria. Relative to 16S rRNA gene universal libraries, the diversity of Bacteroides spp. detected by the group-specific libraries was much higher than previously described. Remarkable inter-individual differences were also observed in the composition of Bacteroides spp. in this family cohort. The comprehensive observation of molecular diversity of Bacteroides spp. provides new insights into potential contributions of various species in this group to human health and disease.