Comparative metagenomics and population dynamics of the gut microbiota in mother and infant.

ABSTRACT: Colonization of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of human infants with a suitable microbial community is essential for numerous aspects of health, but the progression of events by which this microbiota becomes established is poorly understood. Here, we investigate two previously unexplored areas of microbiota development in infants: the deployment of functional capabilities at the community level and the population genetics of its most abundant genera. To assess the progression of the infant microbiota toward an adult-like state and to evaluate the contribution of maternal GIT bacteria to the infant gut, we compare the infant's microbiota with that of the mother at 1 and 11 months after delivery. These comparisons reveal that the infant's microbiota rapidly acquires and maintains the range

SUBMITTER: Vaishampayan PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2839348 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature