HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maukonen, J. Articles by Saarela, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maukonen, J. Articles by Saarela, M. Agricola Articles by Maukonen, J. Articles by Saarela, M.

Intra-individual diversity and similarity of salivary and faecal microbiota

Johanna Maukonen, Jaana Mättö, Maija-Liisa Suihko and Maria Saarela

VTT Technical Research Centre, PO Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT, Finland

CorrespondenceJohanna Maukonen
johanna.maukonen{at}vtt.fi

Received April 18, 2007
Accepted August 24, 2008

In the present study, polyphasic analysis [cultivation, combined with the fingerprinting of individual isolates, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)] was applied to study whether similar features concerning the diversity and temporal stability of selected bacterial groups could be detected intra-individually in two different niches – the oral cavity and the colon – from ten adult volunteers consuming probiotics. The predominant bacterial microbiota, Clostridium coccoides–Eubacterium rectale group and bifidobacterial populations, were generally stable in salivary and faecal samples, with the greater diversity seen in faeces. Furthermore, different species predominated at the two different sites. Lactobacillus group DGGE profiles were unstable, yet the intra-individual profiles from faecal and salivary samples collected at the same time resembled each other. The ingested probiotic product did not affect the stability of the bacterial groups studied. The culture-based analysis showed that most subjects harboured identical indigenous Lactobacillus genotypes in saliva and faeces (Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus plantarum group). Thus, identical indigenous lactobacilli were able to inhabit both ends of the orogastrointestinal tract, whereas the composition of the other bacterial groups studied varied between the two sites.

Abbreviations: DDGE, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis; Erec, Clostridium coccoides–Eubacterium rectale; RAPD, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA.

Present address: Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland.