Reduced diversity of faecal microbiota in Crohn's disease revealed by a metagenomic approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aim

A role for the intestinal microbial community (microbiota) in the onset and chronicity of Crohn's disease (CD) is strongly suspected. However, investigation of such a complex ecosystem is difficult, even with culture independent molecular approaches.

Methods

We used, for the first time, a comprehensive metagenomic approach to investigate the full range of intestinal microbial diversity. We used a fosmid vector to construct two libraries of genomic DNA isolated directly from faecal samples of six healthy donors and six patients with CD. Bacterial diversity was analysed by screening the two DNA libraries, each composed of 25,000 clones, for the 16S rRNA gene by DNA hybridisation.

Results

Among 1190 selected clones, we identified 125 non-redundant ribo

SUBMITTER: Manichanh C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1856500 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature