Comparing the anterior nare bacterial community of two discrete human populations using I llumina amplicon sequencing

Abstract

Summary The anterior nares are an important reservoir for opportunistic pathogens and commensal microorganisms. A barcoded I llumina paired‐end sequencing method targeting the 16 S ribosomal RNA V 1‐2 hypervariable region was developed to compare the bacterial diversity of the anterior nares across distinct human populations (volunteers from G ermany vs a B abongo P ygmy tribe, A frica). Of the 251 phylotypes detected, 231 could be classified to the genus level and 109 to the species level, including the unambiguous identification of the ubiquitous S taphylococcus aureus and M oraxella catarrhalis . The global bacterial community of both adult populations revealed that they shared 85% of the phylotypes, suggesting that our global bacterial communities have likely been with us for thousands of years. Of the 34 phylotypes unique to the non‐westernized population, most were related to members within the suborder M icrococcineae . There was an even more overwelming distinction between children and adults of the same population, suggesting a progression of a childhood community of high‐diversity comprising species of M oraxellaceae and S treptococcaceae to an adult community of lower diversity comprising species of P ropionibacteriaceae , C lostridiales I ncertae S edis XI , C orynebacteriaceae and S taphylococcaceae . Thus, age was a stronger factor for accounting for differing bacterial assemblages than the origin of the human population sampled.

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