Comprehensive analysis of the fecal microbiota of healthy Japanese adults reveals a new bacterial lineage associated with a phenotype characterized by a high frequency of bowel movements and a lean body type

Abstract

BackgroundIn Japan, a variety of traditional dietary habits and daily routines have developed in many regions. The effects of these behaviors, and the regional differences in the composition of the gut microbiota, are yet to be sufficiently studied. To characterize the Japanese gut microbiota and identify the factors shaping its composition, we conducted 16S metagenomics analysis of fecal samples collected from healthy Japanese adults residing in various regions of Japan. Each participant also completed a 94-question lifestyle questionnaire.ResultsWe collected fecal samples from 516 healthy Japanese adults (325 females, 191 males; age, 21–88). Heatmap and biplot analyses based on the bacterial family composition of the fecal microbiota showed that subjects’ region of residence or gender were not strongly correlated with the general composition of the fecal microbiota. Although clustering analysis for the whole cohort did not reveal any distinct clusters, two enterotype-like clusters were observed in the male, but not the female, subjects.In the whole subject population, the scores for bowel movement frequency were significantly correlated with the abundances of Christensenellaceae, Mogibacteriaceae, and Rikenellaceae in the fecal microbiota (P < 0.001). These three bacterial families were also significantly more abundant (P < 0.05 or 0.01) in lean subjects (body mass index (BMI) < 25) than in obese subjects (BMI > 30), which is consistent with previously published results. However, a previously reported correlation between BMI and bowel movement frequency was not observed. In addition, the abundances of these three families were positively correlated with each other and comprised a correlative network with 14 other bacterial families.ConclusionsThe present study showed that the composition of the fecal microbiota of healthy Japanese adults at the national level was not strongly correlated with subjects’ area of residence or gender. In addition, enterotype partitioning was ambiguous in this cohort of healthy Japanese adults. Finally, the results implied that the abundances of Christensenellaceae, Mogibacteriaceae, and Rikenellaceae, along with several other bacterial components that together comprised a correlative network, contributed to a phenotype characterized by a high frequency of bowel movements and a lean body type.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0898-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Relationship Between the Human Genome and Microbiome Comes into View

“…It also positively correlated with alpha-diversity, which was higher in lean compared to obese subjects in the TwinsUK population. The association of Christensenellaceae with a lean phenotype was also observed in Missouri twins (64), the Dutch LifeLines- DEEP population (17), Koreans (40) and Japanese individuals (51). Christensenellaceae was subsequently linked to visceral fat phenotypes in the TwinsUK cohort (3), as well as with healthy levels of triglycerides in the Dutch LifeLines- DEEP cohort (17).…”

“…In addition, this group reported that three OTUs belonging to Christensenellaceae and one OTU classified as Methanobrevibacter positively associated with colonic transit time and with protein degradation products. In accord, in a study of Japanese subjects, the Christensenellaceae family negatively associated with bowel movement frequency (51). With longer transit time, microbiota have longer to work on substrates, liberate additional substrates (which can increase niche space and diversity), and potentially slower growing microbiota have the necessary gut retention time to reach measurable levels, all of which could lead to greater richness.…”

Emerging Insights on the Interaction Between Anticancer and Immunosuppressant Drugs and Intestinal Microbiota in Pediatric Patients

“…However, a gut microbiota‐associated predictor in a subgroup of patients was identified: in particular, inactive disease was predicted by a lower relative abundance of Mogibacteriaceae (Firmicutes) for patients with oligoarthritis . Authors discuss that nothing is known about Mogibacteriaceae in the context of autoimmune diseases, whereas this bacterium was less present in obese Japanese subjects, in comparison to lean subjects …”

“…92 Authors discuss that nothing is known about Mogibacteriaceae in the context of autoimmune diseases, whereas this bacterium was less present in obese Japanese subjects, in comparison to lean subjects. 93 In 18 French adult patients with spondyloarthritis, modifications of the microbiota composition were observed after 3 months of anti-TNF treatment (15 patients received etanercept, 2 received adalimumab, and 1 received infliximab), but no specific taxon was modified, whatever the clinical response. Authors performed an analysis to identify predictors of anti-TNF treatment after 3 months of therapy, selecting two subgroups of patients, five with good response (change in disease activity score > 2), and eight with limited efficacy (change in disease activity score < 1).…”

Syntrophy via interspecies H2transfer betweenChristensenellaandMethanobrevibacterunderlies their global co-occurrence in the human gut

“…Such co-occurrences of taxa across subjects reflect shared environmental preferences, but to determine if they represent metabolic or physical interactions requires further study. The family Christensenellaceae consistently forms the hub of co-occurrence networks with other taxa (6, 8, 9, 18, 19). Notably, gut methanogens (specifically, of the archaeal family Methanobacteriaceae ) are often reported as part of the Christensenellaceae co-occurrence consortium (4, 20–22).…”