Intest Res.  2018 Apr;16(2):246-254. 10.5217/ir.2018.16.2.246.

Characterization of the fecal microbiota differs between age groups in Koreans

• Kook SY
• Kim Y
• Kang B
• Choe YH
• Kim YH
• Kim S

• KMID: 2417676
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2018.16.2.246

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Tens of trillions of microorganisms constitute the gut microbiota of the human body. The microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining host immunity and metabolism. Analyses of the gut microbial composition in Korea are limited to a few studies consisting of small sample sizes. To investigate the gut microbial community in a large sample of healthy Koreans, we analyzed the 16S ribosomal RNA of 4 representative bacterial genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Clostridium.
METHODS
A total of 378 DNA samples extracted from 164 infants and 214 adults were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS
Analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA of 4 representative bacterial genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Clostridium showed that the gut microbiota in infants had higher relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus than that in adults, which was dominated by Bacteroides and Clostridium.
CONCLUSIONS
To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study evaluating the distinct characteristics of the microbial community of Korean infants and adults. The differences between the 2 populations suggest that external factors such as age, diet, and the environment are important contributing factors to the change in gut microbial composition during development.

Keyword

RNA, ribosomal, 16S; Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; Bifidobacterium; Bacteroides

MeSH Terms

Adult
Bacteroides
Bifidobacterium
Clostridium
Diet
DNA
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Human Body
Humans
Infant
Korea
Lactobacillus
Metabolism
Microbiota*
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Sample Size
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
DNA
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Pie chart of gut microbiota composition of the 4 genus levels examined in fecal samples of healthy Korean individuals. (A) Pie chart indicating changes in the average relative abundance of 4 bacterial genera in stool samples from 378 subjects. (B) Normalized values were calculated using the comparative threshold cycle (CT) method. The normalized value of Lactobacillus in fecal specimens from all subjects was significantly lower than those of other genera. a P<0.001.

• 

  Fig. 2 Pie chart of gut microbiota composition at the 4 genus levels examined in fecal samples of infants and adults. (A) Pie chart indicating differences in the relative abundance of 4 bacteria genera in stool samples from 164 infants. (B) The normalized value of Bifidobacterium in fecal samples of infants was significantly higher than those of other genera. (C) Pie chart indicating differences in the relative abundance of 4 bacteria genera in stool samples from 214 adults. (D) The normalized value of Bacteroides in fecal samples of adults was significantly higher than those of other genera. a P<0.001.

• 

  Fig. 3 Average cumulative abundance of the 4 genera in healthy Korean individuals. Distribution of 4 bacterial genera revealing the cumulative composition of microbial diversity in the 3 groups: total sample (A), infant (B), and adult (C). The X-axis of each graph represents the accumulated number of samples, divided by the total number of subjects and Y-axis of each graph indicates the relative abundance. The total sample includes both infants and adults.

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