title: A method for culturing Gram-negative skin microbiota.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Commensal Gram-negative (CGN) microbiota have been identified on human skin by DNA sequencing; however, methods to reliably culture viable Gram-negative skin organisms have not been previously described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Through the use of selective antibiotics and minimal media we developed methods to culture CGN from skin swabs. We identified several previously uncharacterized CGN at the species level by optimizing growth conditions and limiting the inhibitory effects of nutrient shock, temperature, and bacterial competition, factors that may have previously limited CGN isolation from skin cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our protocol will permit future functional studies on the influences of CGN on skin homeostasis and disease.
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Pathogenesis Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. mylesi@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Myles
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Pathogenesis Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jensen D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Reckhow
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Pathogenesis Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Kelli W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Pathogenesis Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Inka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sastalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Pathogenesis Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sandip K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Datta
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D064307:Microbiota; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: Bacteriology; Culture techniques; Microbiome; Skin