Host genetic variation in mucosal immunity pathways influences the upper airway microbiome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The degree to which host genetic variation can modulate microbial communities in humans remains an open question. Here, we performed a genetic mapping study of the microbiome in two accessible upper airway sites, the nasopharynx and the nasal vestibule, during two seasons in 144 adult members of a founder population of European decent.

Results

We estimated the relative abundances (RAs) of genus level bacteria from 16S rRNA gene sequences and examined associations with 148,653 genetic variants (linkage disequilibrium [LD] r ² < 0.5) selected from among all common variants discovered in genome sequences in this population. We identified 37 microbiome quantitative trait loci (mbQTLs) that showed evidence of association with the RAs of 22 genera (q < 0.05)

SUBMITTER: Igartua C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5286564 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature