title: Term and preterm labour are associated with distinct microbial community structures in placental membranes which are independent of mode of delivery.
abstract: Infection is considered a possible trigger for preterm labour, supported by evidence showing the presence of bacteria in the placenta and placental membranes from preterm births. In this study, 16S rDNA pyrosequencing was used to identify bacteria in placental membranes. Caesarean sections and vaginal deliveries at term were found to harbour common genera. Mycoplasma hominis, Aerococcus christensenii, Gardnerella vaginalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum were either only present in preterm membranes or in greater abundance than at term. These data support previous studies that used either targeted qPCR or broad-range 16S rDNA PCR and cloning but not a recent microbiome analysis of placental tissue using high-throughput sequencing.
authors.affiliation: Infection, Inflammation and Rheumatology Section, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Ronan.doyle.10@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Infection, Inflammation and Rheumatology Section, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.alber@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Alber
authors.affiliation: Infection, Inflammation and Rheumatology Section, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: hannah.jones@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Camelia Botnar Laboratories, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: kathryn.harris@gosh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Infection, Inflammation and Rheumatology Section, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: felicity.fitzgerald@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Institute for Womens Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.peebles@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peebles
authors.affiliation: Infection, Inflammation and Rheumatology Section, Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom. Electronic address: n.klein@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D056570:Aerococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000382:microbiology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000382:microbiology*; D047929:Term Birth
keywords: 16S rDNA; High-throughput sequencing; Infection; Metagenetics; Placental membranes; Preterm labour