Analysis of infant isolates of Bifidobacterium breve by comparative genome hybridization indicates the existence of new subspecies with marked infant specificity

A total of 20 Bifidobacterium strains were isolated from fecal samples of 4 breast- and bottle-fed infants and all were characterized as Bifidobacterium breve based on 16S rRNA gene sequence and metabolic analysis. These isolates were further characterized and compared to the type strains of B. breve and 7 other Bifidobacterium spp. by...

Microbial Functionality in the Human Gastrointestinal Tract

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the primary site of food intake, perception and conversion. It represents one of the most important metabolic organs of the body and is colonised by a myriad of microbes that contribute to nutrient processing, affect immune function, and stimulate a variety of other host activities. Genomes of GI-tract resident...