human gut metagenome Genome sequencing

The objective of this study was to analyze the gut microbiota composition on breastfed preterm infants under 1500 grams using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. To perform the intestinal microbiota analysis, total DNA was obtained from each stool sample. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to produce millions of amplicons of the 16S rRNA gene. These amplicons were subjected to massive amplification to generate the nucleotide sequences necessary for microbial analysis. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were processed using advanced bioinformatics to gain insight into the effect of the breast milk intervention on the fecal microbiota in newborns. A predictive approach was used to determine the functional profile of fecal microbial communities, adding valuable information to the role of the gut microbiota in gut health.

本研究旨在借助16S rRNA基因（16S rRNA gene）测序技术，分析体重低于1500克的母乳喂养早产儿的肠道菌群组成。为开展肠道菌群分析，从每份粪便样本中提取总DNA。通过聚合酶链式反应（polymerase chain reaction，PCR）扩增得到数百万条16S rRNA基因的扩增子（amplicon）。随后对这些扩增子进行大规模扩增，以获取微生物分析所需的核苷酸序列。依托先进的生物信息学手段处理所得的16S rRNA基因序列，以解析母乳干预对新生儿粪便菌群的影响。本研究同时采用预测分析方法，明确粪便微生物群落的功能谱，为阐明肠道菌群在肠道健康中的作用提供了极具价值的参考信息。