Unveiling metabolic pathways of selected plant-derived glycans by .

Bifidobacteria are commonly encountered members of the human gut microbiota that possess the enzymatic machinery necessary for the metabolism of certain plant-derived, complex carbohydrates. In the current study we describe differential growth profiles elicited by a panel of 21 newly isolated strains on various plant-derived glycans. Using a combination of gene-trait matching and comparative genome analysis, we identified two distinct xylanases responsible for the degradation of xylan.

Detailed mapping of Bifidobacterium strain transmission from mother to infant via a dual culture-based and metagenomic approach.

A significant proportion of the infant gut microbiome is considered to be acquired from the mother during and after birth. Thus begins a lifelong and dynamic relationship with microbes that has an enduring impact on host health. Based on a cohort of 135 mother-infant (F = 72, M = 63) dyads (MicrobeMom: ISRCTN53023014), we investigated the phenomenon of microbial strain transfer, with a particular emphasis on the use of a combined metagenomic-culture-based approach to determine the frequency of strain transfer involving members of the genus Bifidobacterium, including species/strains present at low relative abundance.

Ability of Bifidobacterium breve 702258 to transfer from mother to infant: the MicrobeMom randomized controlled trial.

Background: The composition of the infant microbiome can have a variety of short- and long-term implications for health. It is unclear if maternal probiotic supplementation in pregnancy can affect the infant gut microbiome.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate if maternal supplementation of a formulation of Bifidobacterium breve 702258 from early pregnancy until 3 months postpartum could transfer to the infant gut.

Isolation of Chromosomal and Plasmid DNA from Bifidobacteria.

Rapid and efficient protocols aimed at the isolation and purification of DNA for the purpose of downstream applications, such as cloning, PCR, Southern blotting, or sequencing, are essential for genetic, biochemical, and molecular biological analyses of a given bacterium. The protocols herein presented provide a robust and efficient method for the isolation of chromosomal and plasmid DNA from Bifidobacterium strains by organic extraction. The methods are simple, and the yield, purity, and quality of the DNA are adequate to perform various downstream applications including next-generation sequencing.