Identification of Probiotic Organisms by Whole Genome Sequencing
Abstract
Probiotics, currently defined by WHO as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” are a rapidly growing market. Probiotic materials are now added to a wide variety of foods and beverages, sometimes promising a specific health benefit. However, health benefits of probiotics are usually linked to very particular species, or even strains, of probiotics.
Recently, there have been multiple reports that probiotic products have missing or extra ingredients than what is claimed on the label. Therefore, it is increasingly important to find methods that can identify all organisms in a probiotic product, ideally to the strain level. DNA sequencing is an important tool to identify all organisms in a sample in one assay. Here, we investigate a long-read sequencing method that accurately identifies probiotic organisms in complex samples. This research was presented at virtual IFT 2020 (SHIFT 20).
Authors
Megan S. Brown, Clinton Copple, Oskar Nordlie, and J. David Legan