Effect of Pharmaceutically Active Antibiotics on Gut Metagenome of Mother and Infant

Abstract BACKGROUND: Metagenomics plays a vital role in studying microbial genomes and their implications for human health. The human gut microbiome begins to develop at birth and is shaped by factors such as maternal nutrition and antibiotic exposure. Disruptions in this microbial community can impact an infant’s immune system, metabolism, and susceptibility to various diseases. This research aims to predict the taxonomic and functional profiling of the gut metagenome in mothers and infants exposed to antibiotics. The study utilized gut metagenomic samples retrieved from the European nucleotide archive database under accession number PRJNA698986. Four samples were analyzed, including two maternal gut metagenome samples and two corresponding infant samples. The design focuses on a comprehensive assessment of microbial diversity and functional pathways using advanced bioinformatics for detailed taxonomic classification and functional analysis of the metagenomic data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Taxonomic analysis was conducted using MetaPhlAn2 to extract and analyze community structure. Functional analysis was performed with HUMAnN2 to evaluate community functions. RESULTS: Metagenomic analysis revealed significant differences in microbial communities between infants and their mothers. The infants’ initial gut microbiome exhibited a diverse presence of both bacteria and viruses, whereas maternal samples predominantly contained bacteria, with a minor representation of archaea. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the impact of antibiotic exposure on the gut metagenome of infants, illustrating distinct differences in microbial community composition compared to mothers. The findings emphasize the need for further research to understand the functional roles of these microbial communities in health and disease.