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Review
. 2012 May-Jun;3(3):203-20.
doi: 10.4161/gmic.20169. Epub 2012 May 1.

Composition of the early intestinal microbiota: knowledge, knowledge gaps and the use of high-throughput sequencing to address these gaps

Fiona Fouhy  1 , R Paul Ross, Gerald F Fitzgerald, Catherine Stanton, Paul D Cotter
Affiliations
Review

Composition of the early intestinal microbiota: knowledge, knowledge gaps and the use of high-throughput sequencing to address these gaps

Fiona Fouhy et al. Gut Microbes. 2012 May-Jun.

Abstract

The colonization, development and maturation of the newborn gastrointestinal tract that begins immediately at birth and continues for two years, is modulated by numerous factors including mode of delivery, feeding regime, maternal diet/weight, probiotic and prebiotic use and antibiotic exposure pre-, peri- and post-natally. While in the past, culture-based approaches were used to assess the impact of these factors on the gut microbiota, these have now largely been replaced by culture-independent DNA-based approaches and most recently, high-throughput sequencing-based forms thereof. The aim of this review is to summarize recent research into the modulatory factors that impact on the acquisition and development of the infant gut microbiota, to outline the knowledge recently gained through the use of culture-independent techniques and, in particular, highlight advances in high-throughput sequencing and how these technologies have, and will continue to, fill gaps in our knowledge with respect to the human intestinal microbiota.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Factors contributing to changes in gut microbiota composition in the first 2 years of life.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Location, concentrations and functions of human gut microbiota.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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