Bacterial associations in the healthy human gut microbiome across populations.

ABSTRACT: In a microbial community, associations between constituent members play an important role in determining the overall structure and function of the community. The human gut microbiome is believed to play an integral role in host health and disease. To understand the nature of bacterial associations at the species level in healthy human gut microbiomes, we analyzed previously published collections of whole-genome shotgun sequence data, totaling over 1.6 Tbp, generated from 606 fecal samples obtained from four different healthy human populations. Using a Random Forest Classifier, we identified 202 signature bacterial species that were prevalent in these populations and whose relative abundances could be used to accurately distinguish between the populations. Bacterial association networks wer

SUBMITTER: Loftus M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7854710 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature