Analysis of gastric microbiota by pyrosequencing in Korea

Sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, which has improved the characterization of microbial community, has made it possible to detect a low level Helicobacter pylori (HP) sequences even in HP-negative subjects which were determined by a combination of conventional methods. This study was conducted to obtain a cutoff value for HP colonization in gastric mucosa biopsies and gastric juices by the pyrosequencing method. Corresponding author: Nayoung Kim, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoungnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea; Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (Tel., [phone]; e-mail, [e-mail]). Overall design: Microbial DNA from gastric mucosal samples [gastric antrum (n=63, mucosal biopsy), follow-up sample on gastric antrum (n=16, mucosal biopsy), and gastric body (n=18, mucosal biopsy)] and gastric juices (n=4, not mucosal biopsy) was amplified by nested PCR using universal bacterial primers, and the 16S rRNA genes were pyrosequenced.