A short-oligonucleotide microarray that allows improved detection of gastrointestinal tract microbial communities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains a diverse collection of bacteria, most of which are unculturable by conventional microbiological methods. Increasingly molecular profiling techniques are being employed to examine this complex microbial community. The purpose of this study was to develop a microarray technique based on 16S ribosomal gene sequences for rapidly monitoring the microbial population of the GI tract.

Results

We have developed a culture-independent, semi-quantitative, rapid method for detection of gut bacterial populations based on 16S rDNA probes using a DNA microarray. We compared the performance of microarrays based on long (40- and 50-mer) and short (16-21-mer) oligonucleotides. Short oligonucleotides consistently gave higher specificity

SUBMITTER: Harrington CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2628385 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature