Detection of potentially novel bacterial components of the human skin microbiota using culture-independent molecular profiling.
Although the micro-organisms forming the cutaneous microbiota are considered to play important roles in the modification and prevention of skin diseases, a comprehensive analysis of their composition has not yet been carried out because of difficulties in determining yet-to-be-cultured micro-organisms in the samples. Swab-scrubbed forehead skin samples of five healthy volunteers were analysed by profiling 16S rRNA genes, as well as by conventional culture methods, to provide a profile of the cutaneous microbiota that included yet-to-be-cultured bacteria from normal human skin. Cluster analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated a marked increase in diversity compared with that derived from the culture methods. Nineteen previously recognized species and 13 novel phylotypes were obtained from the analysis of 416 clones. In addition to well-known bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes, phylotype A, the 16S rRNA gene of which is 97 % similar to that of Methylophilus methylotrophus, was detected in three of the five samples, in one of which it was the predominant clone. Culture-independent genetic profiling of 16S rRNA genes for detecting human cutaneous microbiota has allowed us to detect potentially novel components of the cutaneous microbiota in humans.
Dekio
Itaru
I
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
Hayashi
Hidenori
H
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
Sakamoto
Mitsuo
M
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
Kitahara
Maki
M
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
Nishikawa
Takeji
T
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
Suematsu
Makoto
M
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
Benno
Yoshimi
Y
Department of Dermatology1 and Department of Biochemistry and Integrative Medical Biology3, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan 2Microbe Division/Japan Collection of Microorganisms, RIKEN BioResource Center, Wako, Japan.
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S