Gut Microbiota Analysis and Characterization Service

Introduction Featured Services Workflow Applications FAQs Resources Related Sections

The gut microbiota is described as a complex and abundant ecosystem, composed of trillions of microorganisms. In the clinical context, the human gut microbiome has been the subject of intense investigation, which has revealed a sophisticated interplay between the microbiome and the host immune system and metabolism. Analyses of gut microbiotas have been used to assess host health and foster disease prevention and treatment. Based on a cutting-edge Gut Microbiota-Based Diagnostics Platform, Creative Biolabs provides gut microbiota analysis and characterization services, which help create an understanding role of gut microbes in human health and disease.

Development of Gut Microbiota Analysis

Gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in maintaining overall health, with imbalances linked to conditions such as neurological disorders, skin diseases, lung issues, heart problems, and metabolic disruptions. Unraveling these connections through gut microbiota analysis opens doors to groundbreaking insights and transformative healthcare solutions.

In the past, microbiology was entirely culture-dependent throughout a century. This approach has limited the range of detectable organisms to those that would proliferate in the setting of actual laboratory culture conditions. Great progress was made by analyzing the DNA extracted directly from a sample derived from the site of interest-based on culture-independent methods. The earliest DNA-based methods probed extracted DNA of a microbial community for genes of interest by using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Alternatively, specific genes are amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cloned in E. coli, and subsequently sequenced. Recently, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomic and metabolomics have provided us with deep knowledge related to important interactions such as host-microbiota and microbe-microbe interactions under various perturbations inside the gut.

The Role of Gut Microbiota Analysis in Understanding Systemic Health Connections. Fig.1 Unveiling the Impact of Gut Microbiota: The Essential Role of Gut Microbiota Analysis in Health and Disease.¹

Our Services

Nowadays the advent of innovative high-throughput sequencing allows obtaining high-quality microbiome profiling. However, the pure culture of intestinal microbiota remains essential to define the roles of specific bacteria in the gut. PCR-based tests are still considered the "golden standard" for many clinical applications. At Creative Biolabs, we provide culture- and quantitative PCR (qPCR) based-analysis services.

Culture-Based Analyses

Creative Biolabs specializes in cultivating gut microbiota to provide deep insights into their functional roles and interactions. Below are the key applications:

Isolation of Beneficial Strains: Culturing probiotics like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus for gut health enhancement.
Microbial Interaction Studies: Utilizing co-culturing techniques to study complex microbe-microbe interactions.
Disease-Associated Pathogen Characterization: Isolating and analyzing pathogenic strains linked to gut disorders.

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) Testing

qPCR provides precise and quantitative profiling of gut microbial communities, supporting various research and clinical applications:

Antibiotic Resistance Studies: Identifying antibiotic resistance genes in microbial populations.
Pathogen Identification: Detecting specific pathogens and their virulence factors.
Quantitative Profiling: Determining microbial load and diversity within complex communities.

Advanced Sequencing Services

Service	Features	Applications	Benefits
16S rRNA Sequencing	Taxonomic profiling for microbial diversity	Microbial community structure studies	Cost-effective, high-throughput profiling of diverse microbial taxa.
Shotgun Metagenomics	Functional and taxonomic insights	Functional gene discovery and pathway analysis	Comprehensive analysis of microbial genomes without isolation.
Single-Cell Genome Sequencing	High-resolution genome analysis	Rare species identification and functional profiling	Allows analysis of individual microbial cells for detailed insights into genomic functions.
Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS)	Strain-level resolution	Pathogen tracking and evolutionary studies	Provides detailed genetic information for microbial strains, supporting clinical and research needs.
Metaproteomics	Protein-level ecosystem analysis	Functional microbiota studies	Explores protein interactions, aiding in understanding metabolic pathways and microbial interactions.
Metatranscriptomics	RNA-based functional insights	Microbial gene expression analysis	Identifies active metabolic pathways, highlighting functional dynamics within microbial communities.

Workflow

Creative Biolabs follows a rigorous workflow to ensure high-quality results:

1. Sample Collection and Preparation

Clients receive kits with detailed instructions for collecting stool or gut samples.
Samples are preserved using stabilizing buffers to maintain integrity.

2. Culture-Based or Sequencing-Based Analysis

Samples are processed using either culture methods or advanced sequencing technologies.

3. Data Processing and Bioinformatics Analysis

Sophisticated pipelines for taxonomic classification, functional annotation, and multi-omics integration.
Services include Gut Microbiota Bioinformatics Analysis.

4. Statistical Evaluation and Interpretation

Group comparisons and significance testing are performed to provide actionable insights.

5. Comprehensive Reporting

Clients receive interactive and user-friendly reports with visualization tools.

Applications

Gut microbiota analysis plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific research and clinical applications. By deciphering the complex interactions between gut microbes and the host, this field offers transformative insights into health and disease management. Creative Biolabs specializes in providing comprehensive solutions to meet diverse research needs in this domain, offering services like Gut Microbiota-Based Diagnostics and 16S rRNA Sequencing.

Application Area	Benefits	Examples
Disease Diagnosis and Management	Identifying microbial biomarkers for conditions like IBD and colorectal cancer.	Early detection of gut dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel disease.
Drug Development	Optimizing microbiota-targeted therapies.	Discovering microbial metabolites for new drugs.
Probiotics and Prebiotics Design	Developing gut health-enhancing products.	Formulating effective probiotics like Lactobacillus.
Gut-Brain Axis Research	Investigating the microbiome's influence on mood and cognition.	Studying microbial impact on neurological disorders.
Nutritional Science	Personalizing dietary interventions based on gut microbiota profiles.	Designing diets to enhance beneficial microbial activity.
Biomarker Discovery	Identifying indicators for disease progression or therapeutic responses.	Short-chain fatty acids as biomarkers for gut health.

Gut microbiota analyses require expert input to get high-quality and reproducible data. We help with research applications that require professional microbiota analysis delivered by experts in the field. All of Creative Biolabs' gut microbiota analysis services include comprehensive bioinformatics and statistical analyses as well as group comparisons, presented in a user-friendly and interactive report. If you are interested in our service, please contact us for further information.

FAQs

What kinds of samples are accepted for gut microbiota testing?

Creative Biolabs can take stools, intestinal biopsy samples, and mucosal swabs. The most common sample is stool, which is easily collected and highly representative of gut microbiota. The samples should be taken with a kit supplied for preservation and stability when shipped.

What bioinformatics are used to analyze microbiota data?

Taxonomic classification, functional annotation, and predictive modeling at Creative Biolabs are accomplished using a blend of proprietary and open-source bioinformatics resources. Machine learning algorithms and multi-omics integration pipelines give you advanced data that can be used for specific research objectives.

Learn more about our Predictive Computational Modeling of Gut Microbiome.

Can the service identify novel microbial species in the gut microbiota?

Yes, through comprehensive metagenomic sequencing and single-cell genome sequencing, Creative Biolabs can detect and characterize novel microbial species. These methods allow the identification of previously unculturable or rare organisms within the gut microbiota.

Are the services customizable for specific research or clinical goals?

Absolutely. Creative Biolabs offers fully customizable services to meet unique project requirements. Whether the focus is on biomarker discovery, therapeutic development, or gut-brain axis research, solutions are tailored to address the specific objectives of each client. Check out our Gut Microbial Biomarker Discovery Service for custom solutions.

Reference

Gebrayel, Prisca, et al. "Microbiota medicine: towards clinical revolution." Journal of translational medicine 20.1 (2022): 111. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.