The characteristics and correlations of vaginal flora in women with cervical lesions / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To explore the characteristics and correlations of vaginal flora in women with cervical lesions. Methods: A total of 132 women, including 41 women diagnosed with normal cervical (NC), 39 patients with low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1), 37 patients with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2/3) and 15 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), who came from the gynecological clinic of Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University during January 2018 to June 2018, were enrolled in this study according to the inclusive and exclusive criteria strictly. The vaginal flora was detected by 16S rDNA sequencing technology. Co-occurrence network analysis was used to investigate the Spearman correlations between different genera of bacteria. Results: The dominant bacteria in NC, CIN 1 and CIN 2/3 groups were Lactobacillus [constituent ratios 79.4% (1 869 598/2 354 098), 63.6% (1 536 466/2 415 100) and 58.3% (1 342 896/2 301 536), respectively], while Peptophilus [20.4% (246 072/1 205 154) ] was the dominant bacteria in SCC group. With the aggravation of cervical lesions, the diversity of vaginal flora gradually increased (Shannon index: F=6.39, P=0.001; Simpson index: F=3.95, P=0.012). During the cervical lesion progress, the ratio of Lactobacillus gradually decreased, the ratio of other anaerobes such as Peptophilus, Sneathia, Prevotella and etc. gradually increased, and the differential bacteria (LDA score >3.5) gradually evolved from Lactobacillus to other anaerobes. The top 10 relative abundance bacteria, spearman correlation coefficient>0.4 and P<0.05 were selected. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that Prevotella, Peptophilus, Porphyrinomonas, Anaerococcus, Sneathia, Atopobium, Gardnerella and Streptococcus were positively correlated in different stages of cervical lesions, while Lactobacillus was negatively correlated with the above anaerobes. It was found that the relationship between vaginal floras in CIN 1 group was the most complex and only Peptophilus was significantly negatively correlated with Lactobacillus in SCC group. Conclusions: The increased diversity and changed correlations between vaginal floras are closely related to cervical lesions. Peptophilus is of great significance in the diagnosis, prediction and early warning of cervical carcinogenesis.

Analysis of microbial diversity in the midgut of Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To investigate the composition and diversity of midgut microbial community of Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV)． Methods　The midgut DNA of three group Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with SFTSV was extracted, and the 16S rDNA gene of the sample was sequenced by HiSeq platform. The composition and diversity of endosymbiotic microbial community were clarified by OTU cluster analysis and alpha diversity analysis. Results　The midgut microbial clusters of the three groups infected with SFTSV were 143, 113, 163 OTUs respectively; the sparsity curve and abundance grade curve showed that the data had sufficient sequencing depth, and the midgut of Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with SFTSV was rich in microbial composition, but the species distribution was uneven. The analysis of microbial community composition showed that Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the main dominant bacteria at the phyla level. At the class level, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Betaproteobacteria and Actinomycetia were the main dominant bacteria. At the order level, Legionellales, Bacillales, Burkholderiales and Actinomycetales were the main dominant orders. At the family level, Coxiellaceae, Bacillaceae, Moraxellaceae and Rhodococcaceae were the main dominant families. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Coxiella was the highest, followed by Aeribaillus and Azonexus. Alpha diversity analysis showed that the average Shannon index was 139.67, the average Simpson index was 0.48, the average Chao index was 145.06, and the average ACE index was 147.11. Conclusions　The species diversity of intestinal microorganisms in Haemaphysalis longicornis infected with SFTSV is rich. The results provide a basis for further exploring the interaction between intestinal microbes of Haemaphysalis longicornis and SFTSV and developing new ideas for the prevention and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases.

Correlation between intestinal flora characteristics and hepatic and renal impairments in HIV-infected heterosexual men / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between the intestinal flora and the impairment of liver and kidney in HIV-infected men who have heterosexual sex with healthy women. MethodsFecal samples from 41 HIV-infected heterosexual men who have sex with women （PMSW） and 43 age- and BMI-matched healthy heterosexual men who have sex with women （NMSW） were collected and subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing. The blood levels of AST， ALT， TBIL， UREA， Cr， UA， β2-MG and other liver and kidney function indicators were measured. Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the characteristics of the intestinal flora of the patients in these two groups， to compare the differential bacteria strains， and to analyze their correlation with liver and kidney function indicators. ResultsIn comparison with NMSW， the alpha diversity of intestinal flora was decreased in PMSW， and the beta diversity analysis showed significant differences in flora characteristics between the two groups （P<0.05）. The abundance of Clostridium， Phylum thick-walled， Trichosporon， and Clostridium tumefaciens decreased but Fusobacteriota increased （LDA score >4）. The comparison of liver and kidney function indexes revealed that AST， β2-MG levels were higher in PMSW than in NMSW， while TBIL was lower in PMSW than in NMSW. The number of patients with abnormal β2-MG was much higher in PMSW than in NMSW， and the difference was statistically significant （P<0.001）. It was also found that AST was negatively correlated with Clostridium （P<0.05）； TBIL was negatively correlated with Clostridium and positively correlated with Phylum thick-walled and Trichosporon （P<0.05）. β2-MG was negatively correlated with Phylum thick-walled， Clostridium， Trichosporon and Rumenococcus （P<0.05） and positively correlated with Clostridium （P<0.05）. ConclusionIn PMSW group， the alpha diversity of the flora is decreased. AST and β2-MG levels are increased， and TBIL level is decreased. These changes were significantly correlated with different strains of bacteria in the intestinal flora.

Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Wolbachia infection in common mosquito species in Henan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the infection and genotypes of Wolbachia in common mosquito species in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into management of mosquito-borne diseases. Methods Aedes, Culex and Anopheles samples were collected from cowsheds, sheepfolds and human houses in Puyang, Nanyang City and Xuchang cities of Henan Province from July to September, 2022, and the infection of Wolbachia was detected. The 16S rDNA and wsp genes of Wolbachia were amplified and sequenced. Sequence alignment was performed using the BLAST software, and the obtained 16S rDNA gene sequence was compared with the sequence of the 16S rDNA gene in GenBank database. In addition, the phylogenetic trees were created based on 16S rDNA and wsp gene sequences using the software MEGA 11.0. Results A total 506 female adult mosquitoes were collected from three sampling sites in Nanyang, Xuchang City and Puyang cities from July to September, 2022. The overall detection of Wolbachia was 45.1% (228/506) in mosquitoes, with a higher detection rate in A. albopictus than in Cx. pipiens pallens [97.9% (143/146) vs. 50.6% (85/168); χ2 = 88.064, P < 0.01]. The detection of Wolbachia in Cx. pipiens pallens was higher in Xuchang City (96.8%, 62/64) than in Nanyang (15.6%, 7/45) and Puyang cities (27.1%, 16/59) (χ2 = 89.950, P < 0.01). The homologies of obtained Wolbachia 16S rDNA and wsp gene sequences were 95.3% to 100.0% and 81.7% to 99.8%. Phylogenetic analysis based on wsp gene sequences showed Wolbachia supergroups A and B in mosquito samples, with wAlbA and wMors strains in supergroup A and wPip and wAlbB strains in supergroup B. Wolbachia strain wAlbB infection was detected in A. albopictus in Puyang and Nanyang Cities, while Wolbachia strain wPip infection was identified in A. albopictus in Xuchang City. Wolbachia strain wAlbA infection was detected in Cx. pipiens pallens sampled from three cities, and one Cx. pipiens pallens was found to be infected with Wolbachia strain wMors in Nanyang City. Conclusions Wolbachia infection is commonly prevalent in Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens pallens from Henan Province, and Wolbachia strains wAlbB and wAlbA are predominant in Ae. albopictus, while wPip strain is predominant in Cx. pipiens pallens. This is the first report to present Wolbachia wMors strain infection in Cx. pipiens pallens in Henan Province.

Mechanism of Dahuang Zhechongwan in Inhibiting Renal Fibrosis in Rats by Regulating Intestinal Flora Based on 16S rDNA Sequencing / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Dahuang Zhechongwan （DHZCW） on adenine-induced renal fibrosis in rats from the perspective of intestinal flora. MethodThirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， and high-， medium- and low-dose DHZCW groups （0.168， 0.084， 0.042 g·kg-1）， and a pirfenidone group （200 mg·kg-1）， with 6 rats in each group. Except for those in the blank group， rats in other groups were treated with adenine suspension （250 mg·kg-1） by gavage for 28 days for renal fibrosis model induction. Subsequently， they received drug intervention for 4 weeks. Urine samples were collected from rats in metabolic cages， and renal function indicators including blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， urea， creatinine （Crea）， cystatin C （Cys C）， and 24-hour urine protein （24 h TP） were measured. Kidney samples were collected and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Masson's trichrome staining to observe the pathological changes in rat renal tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of key effector proteins α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， type Ⅰ collagen （ColⅠ）， and type Ⅲ collagen （ColⅢ） in the kidneys. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA was used to analyze the species diversity of rat intestinal flora. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed increased BUN， urea， Crea， Cys C， and 24 h TP levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-， medium-， and low-dose DHZCW groups， as well as the pirfenidone group， showed significant reductions in BUN， urea， Crea， Cys C， and 24 h TP levels （P<0.01）， indicating that DHZCW intervention significantly improved renal function. In the model group， renal tissues exhibited significant fibrotic changes， and the protein levels of α-SMA， ColⅠ， and ColⅢ were significantly increased （P<0.01） compared to those in the blank group. Compared with the model group， the high-dose DHZCW group and the pirfenidone group had relatively normal tissue structure， with no significant pathological damage observed. However， fibrotic changes were observed in the medium- and low-dose DHZCW groups， with the changes being more significant in the low-dose group. The protein levels of α-SMA， ColⅠ， and ColⅢ were significantly decreased in the high-， medium-， and low-dose DHZCW groups， as well as the pirfenidone group （P<0.01）， indicating that DHZCW effectively reduced abnormal collagen deposition and inhibited renal fibrosis. From the perspective of intestinal flora， at the phylum level， compared with the blank group， the model group showed a significant increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes， leading to a significant imbalance in their ratio. At the family level， the model group decreased the abundance of Lachnospiraceae， Prevotellaceae， and Bacteroidota_unclassified， and increased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae， Lactobacillaceae， and Oscillospiraceae. At the genus level， the model group showed significantly reduced abundance of Firmicutes_unclassified， Bacteroidota_unclassified， and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001， etc.， and increased abundance of UCG-005， Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified， etc. Compared with the model group， DHZCW effectively reduced the abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria， regulating the intestinal flora. ConclusionDHZCW can effectively improve renal function and inhibit renal fibrosis， and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of intestinal flora.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Endocarditis in a Patient with Chronic Periodontitis: A Case Report

@#The HACEK organisms consist of the non-influenzae Haemophilus sp., Aggregatibacter sp., Cardiobacterium sp., Eikenella corrodens and Kingella sp. are responsible for a sizable percentage of infective endocarditis cases worldwide with the mortality rate of 18%. Amongst them, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is the most common pathogen strongly associated with infective endocarditis. A. actinomycetemcomitans forms part of the oral microbiota and is also the etiological agent of periodontitis. Here, we present a case of a 37-year-old man with underlying obstructive uropathy, that sought treatment for postural hypotension and symptomatic anaemia with fever. Later, he had developed decompensated congestive cardiac failure with aortic regurgitation. A cardiac echocardiogram revealed the presence of vegetation on the aortic valve. Blood culture grew A. actinomycetemcomitans, and he was treated with furosemide and ceftriaxone. A further dental examination showed the patient is having chronic periodontitis, which could be the possible source of A. actinomycetemcomitans causing infective endocarditis. The patient was then transferred to the National Heart Centre for the first time for further management after completion of 4 weeks of intravenous antibiotics. As the pathogen is fastidious, rapid and newer technology like MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry provides rapid and accurate identification for appropriate patient clinical management.

Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of the Relationship between Cervical Lesions, HPV and Vaginal Community State Type

Background: Chronic HPV infection is a precursor of cervical cancer, which is largely caused by dysregulation of vaginal flora and other factors like abnormal H2O2, neuraminidase and insufficient vaginal hygiene. The relationship between HPV-induced cancer and vaginal microbiota is involved in the viral chronicity and also influences the disease prognosis. A meta-analysis system was used to evaluate the relationship between cervical lesions, HPV and vaginal microenvironment. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane and Embase databases were searched for relevant literature published from 2016 to December 2020. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature screening, data extraction and quality evaluation were carried out, and stata16 statistical software was used for Meta-analysis and systematic evaluation. Results: The overall relative risk of CST in 95% CI: 0.76-1.4, LSIL group compared with normal cytology group was 0.81. The overall relative risk of CST in the HSIL group and cervical cancer group was 0.77 and 1.26, respectively. It was found that there was publication bias in the HPV positive group (p-value of Begg and Egger were 0.067 and 0.247) and cervical cancer group (p-value of Begg and Egger were 0.677 and 0.457 respectively). There was a significant difference in CST III between HPV positive group and the LSIL group. Conclusion: Cervical lesions and HPV are related to the increase of vaginal microbial diversity, and HPV and LSIL groups are related to CST III, while HSIL and cervical cancer groups are related to CSTIV, which has a certain guiding significance for early clinical diagnosis, but further large-scale studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Phylogenetic diversity and predictive functional profile of bacteria associated with marine microalgae, Isochrysis galbana using next generation sequencing- Supplementary Data

In aquaculture, microalgal-bacterial interaction has ecological significance, and thus demands better understanding for improvement of sustainability and productivity of large scale microalgal cultivation. Here, we assessed the bacterial diversity, including the uncultivable bacterial assemblage associated with the marine microalgae Isochrysis galbana using next generation sequencing approach. Isochrysis has been considered as one of the most favoured types of live feed in aquaculture and hence, chose Isochrysis galbana MBTDCMFRI S002. Total genomic DNA was extracted from I. galbana culture and 16S rDNA V3 region was sequenced with an Illumina MiSeq platform. A total of 30 different known bacterial genera were detected from 1190 identified operational taxonomic units. These bacterial phylotypes were affiliated to Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidimicrobiia, Bacteroidia, Flavobacteriia and Bacilli classes. These 30 bacterial genera comprise only 4.62% of the total OTUs obtained and remaining 95.38% of the sequences do not exhibit any similarity against known bacterial genera in the taxonomic database. The functional profile of bacterial communities was predicted using PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) analysis. The results indicated that these associated bacterial communities are mainly involved in environmental as well as genetic information processing, membrane transport and nutrient metabolism. These functions may mediate their interaction with the phytoplankton host, and thus improve bacterial survival in microalgal habitat. Overall, the present study enhances the understanding of microalgal-bacterial interaction in terms of diversity and functional role of associated microbial community.

Phylogenetic diversity and predictive functional profile of bacteria associated with marine microalgae, Isochrysis galbana using next generation sequencing

In aquaculture, microalgal-bacterial interaction has ecological significance, and thus demands better understanding for improvement of sustainability and productivity of large scale microalgal cultivation. Here, we assessed the bacterial diversity, including the uncultivable bacterial assemblage associated with the marine microalgae Isochrysis galbana using next generation sequencing approach. Isochrysis has been considered as one of the most favoured types of live feed in aquaculture and hence, chose Isochrysis galbana MBTDCMFRI S002. Total genomic DNA was extracted from I. galbana culture and 16S rDNA V3 region was sequenced with an Illumina MiSeq platform. A total of 30 different known bacterial genera were detected from 1190 identified operational taxonomic units. These bacterial phylotypes were affiliated to Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidimicrobiia, Bacteroidia, Flavobacteriia and Bacilli classes. These 30 bacterial genera comprise only 4.62% of the total OTUs obtained and remaining 95.38% of the sequences do not exhibit any similarity against known bacterial genera in the taxonomic database. The functional profile of bacterial communities was predicted using PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) analysis. The results indicated that these associated bacterial communities are mainly involved in environmental as well as genetic information processing, membrane transport and nutrient metabolism. These functions may mediate their interaction with the phytoplankton host, and thus improve bacterial survival in microalgal habitat. Overall, the present study enhances the understanding of microalgal-bacterial interaction in terms of diversity and functional role of associated microbial community.

Bacterial diversity analysis of freshwater sources for human use in rural areas of the tropical Andean region of Colombia / Análisis de la diversidad bacteriana en aguas superficiales usadas para consumo humano en zonas rurales de la región andina colombiana

Abstract Potable water supply and sanitization in rural areas in developing countries are still inadequate. The main risk associated with unsafe drinking water is the infection with pathogenic microorganisms. Objective: In this study, we investigate the bacterial diversity and the potentially pathogenic bacteria in water samples from diffe rent points of distribution in three rural villages from the Andean region of Colombia. Methods: Illumina libraries for water samples were prepared and sequenced using 300 bp paired-end MiSeq protocol, the bioinformatic analyses were performed with Mothur pipeline and the phyloseq package in Rstudio. Results: The mi crobial community composition showed statistically significant differences according to the village and the sample origin. Alpha, Beta, and Gammaproteobacteria were the dominant class detected in all water samples. The most relevant pathogenic genera detected in the surface were Legionella, Mycobacterium, Yersinia, Burkholderia, and Rickettsia. In the tap water samples, potential pathogens like Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Nocardia, and Escherichia/Shige lla were detected.

Resumen El suministro y potabilización del agua de consumo humano en las zonas rurales de los países en vías de desarrollo sigue siendo limitado. El principal riesgo asociado con el uso de agua no potable es la infección con microorganismos patógenos. Objetivo: En este estudio se investigó la diversidad bacteriana y la presencia de bacterias potencialmente patógenas en muestras de agua de diferentes puntos de distribución en tres asentamientos rurales de la región andina de Colombia. Métodos: Se prepararon y secuenciaron bibliotecas de amplicones (rDNA 16S) para muestras de agua utilizando la plataforma Illumina MiSeq con lecturas pareadas de 300 bases. Los análisis bioinformáticos se realizaron con el programa Mothur y el paquete estadístico Phyloseq en Rstudio. Resultados: La composición de la comunidad microbiana mostró diferencias estadísticamente significativas según el sitio y el origen de la muestra. Alfa, Beta y Gammaproteobac terias fueron las clase dominantes detectadas en todas las muestras de agua. Los géneros patógenos más relevantes detectados fueron Legionella, Mycobacterium, Yersinia, Burkholderia y Rickettsia. En las muestras de agua del grifo se detectaron patógenos potenciales como Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Nocardia y Escherichia /Shigella.

Regulation of intestinal microbiota by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on patients with obesity or obesity combined with diabetes / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the regulation of intestinal microbiota by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) on patients with obesity or obesity combined with diabetes.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The stool samples before and after surgery and clinical data of 20 patients with obesity, including 9 simple obesity cases and 11 obesity combined with diabetes cases, who underwent RYGB in the First Affiliated Hospital of Ji′nan University from July 2016 to August 2017 were collected. There were 11 males and 9 females, aged (33±11)years. Observation indicators: (1) changes in composition and structure of intestinal microflora; (2) changes of intestinal microflora in simple obesity patients after operation; (3) changes of intestinal microflora in obesity combined with diabetes patients after operation. Follow up was conducted using telephone interview or outpatient examinations to detect the body mass, the application of antimicrobial agent and the blood glucose control of patients. According to the unified training points, the stool samples were collected and stored into the DNA stabilizer, and then conducted to laboratory analysis within 45 hours. The follow up was up to November 2018. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and independent-samples t test was used for inter-group comparison and paired-samples t test was used for intra-group comparison. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3), and Wilcoxon signed rank test of two independent samples was used for inter-group comparison. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and the chi-square test, ANOSIM analysis, linear discriminant (LEfSe) analysis and the Metastats analysis were used for inter-group comparison. Results:(1) Changes in composition and structure of intestinal microflora. The Shannon index of α diversity of preoperative intestinal microflora in simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients was 4.37±0.69 and 4.47±0.85, respectively, showing no significant difference between them ( t=0.28, P>0.05). Results of preoperative LEfSe analysis showed that there were differences in the bacterial abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidea between simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients. The abundances of Parasutterella in simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients was 0.000 113 0(0, 0.004 378 2) and 0.008 464 0(0.001 325 7, 0.034 983 1), respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( Z=2.12, P<0.05). Results of preoperative PCoA analysis showed that the contribution rates of principal component 1, principal component 2 and principal component 3 were 24.98%, 22.24% and 16.33% in simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients and results of ANOSIM comparison showed that there was no significant difference in preoperative intestinal microflora between them ( r=?0.11, P>0.05). The Shannon index of α diversity of postoperative intestinal microflora in simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients was 4.60±0.65 and 4.66±0.40, respectively, showing no significant difference between them ( t=0.24, P>0.05). Results of postoperative LEfSe analysis showed that there were differences in the bacterial abundance of Bacteroidea, Proteus and Firmicutes between simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients. The abundances of Morganella and Coprococcus_2 in simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients were 0.000 192 0(0.000 011 9,0.001 569 0), 0(0,0) and 0(0,0), 0.000 054 1(0,0.000 419 0), showing significant differences between them ( Z=2.70, 2.29, P<0.05). (2) Changes of intestinal microflora in simple obesity patients after operation. There were 10 genera of bacteria of intestinal bacteria changing after surgery, including 7 species of bacteria increasing in the Firmicutes and the Proteobacteria as Veillonella, Morganella, Granulicatella, Aeromonas, Streptococcus, Rothia and Megasphaera and the bacteria decreasing in the Firmicutes and the Actinobacteria as Ruminococcus_torques_group, Romboutsia and Erysipelo-trichaceae_UCG-003. Results of LEfSe analysis showed that the bacteria significantly enriched in simple obesity patients before surgery were Ruminococcus_torques_group, Romboutsia and Erysipelotri-chaceae_UCG-003, belonging to Firmicutes, and the bacteria significantly enriched in simple obesity patients after surgery were Rothia, Granulicatella, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Megasphaera, Veillonella, A eromonas and Morganella, belonging to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. (3) Changes of intestinal microflora in obesity combined with diabetes patients after operation. There were 16 bacteria of intestinal bacteria increasing after surgery, including Streptococcus, Veillonella, Haemophilus, Pluralibacter, Gemella, Lachnospiraceae_NC2004_group, Granulicatella,Aeromonas, uncultured_ bacterium_f_ Saccharimonadaceae, R uminiclostridium_9, Butyricicoccus, Fusobacterium, Anaerotruncus, Fusicateni-bacter, Klebsiella and E ubacterium_eligens_group, which belonged to the Firmicutes and the Proteo-bacteria. Results of LEfSe analysis showed that the bacteria significantly enriched in obesity combined with diabetes patients before surgery were Fusicatenibacter, Tyzzerella_3 and Butyricicoccus, belonging to the Firmicutes, and the bacteria significantly enriched in obesity combined with diabetes patients after surgery were Gemella, Granulicatella, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Lachnospiraceae_NC2004_group, Eubacterium_eligens_group, Anaerotruncus, Ruminiclostridium_9, Anaeroglobus, Veillonella, Fusobacterium, uncultured_bacterium_f_Saccharimonadaceae, Aeromonas, Klebsiella, Pluralibacter, Proteus and Haemophilus, belonging to the Firmicutes and the Proteobacteria. Conclusions:RYGB can significantly increases the intestinal microflora abundance in simple obesity patients and obesity combined with diabetes patients. The two types of patients have specific changes in intestinal microflora at the genus level.

Characteristic intestinal flora and associated biomarkers in esophageal cancer based on PacBio SMRT sequencing / 环境与职业医学

Background Esophageal cancer is a common gastrointestinal tumor with a high incidence in China. Some studies suggest that intestinal flora is significantly related to the occurrence and development of tumors and other diseases. Traditional 16S rDNA sequencing technology only provides taxonomic resolution at genus level. Objective Based on PacBio single molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing technology to identify characteristic microbial biomarkers associated with esophageal cancer at the species level. Methods A total of 120 newly diagnosed cases of esophageal cancer were recruited and 60 healthy patients with matched sex and age were recruited as the control group. Fresh stool samples were collected from all subjects. Full-length 16S rDNA sequencing was performed on samples from 4 patients with esophageal cancer and 1:1 matched healthy controls using the third-generation sequencing PacBio SMRT technology, and the structural differences of intestinal flora were analyzed based on the sequencing results. Function prediction was performed by PICRUSt software. Large population samples were validated by screening different gut microbes by linear discriminant analysis and linear discriminant analysis effect size to identify esophageal cancer-associated gut microbes. Results Based on sequencing samples, the results of α diversity analysis showed that the Ace, Chao1, Simpson Diversity, and Shannon Wiener indices of the esophageal cancer group were higher than those of the healthy control group (P<0.05), and the results of β diversity showed that the scattered clusters of the esophageal cancer group and the healthy control group were separated, which meant that there were differences in the structure of intestinal flora between the two groups. It was found at the phylum level that the abundances of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes in the intestinal flora of the esophageal cancer group were increased. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Spirospira, Pasteurella, Roxella, and Bacteroides in the esophageal cancer group were increased. At the species level, there were 11 microbial species with increased relative abundances in the esophageal cancer group, including Enterobacter sp. E.20, Bacteroides ovatus V975, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and the microbial species with decreased relative abundances in the esophageal cancer group were Ralstonia pickettii, Enterobacter unclassified, and Streptococcus salivarius JIM8777. The PICRUSt functional annotation found differences in alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism (map00250), peptidoglycan (map00550), one carbon pool by folate (map00670), thiamine metabolism (map00730), and biosynthesis of amino acids (map01230) between the two groups. The results of the population validation study showed that the abundances of Enterobacter sp E.20 and Bacteroides massilience in the esophageal cancer group were increased, the abundance of Streptococcus salivarius JIM8777 was decreased, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). By establishing receiver operating characteristic analysis for representative species level biomarkers, the area under curve (AUC) of combining Enterobacter sp E.20, Streptococcus salivarius JIM8777, and Bacteroides massilience was 0.779, higher than single diagnosis (AUC=0.610, 0.608, and 0.659, respectively). Conclusion There are significant differences in gut microbiota between the esophageal cancer group and the healthy control group. The combination of Enterobacter sp E.20, Streptococcus salivarius JIM8777, and Bacteroides Massilience has potential application value for the diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

Caracterização da microbiota de queijos artesanais provenientes da Serra da Canastra - MG e da cultura iniciadora natural utilizada em sua produção / Microbiota characterization of artisanal cheeses from Serra da Canastra - MG and their endogenous starter culture

O queijo Canastra possui grande importância na cultura e economia local, é parte do Patrimônio Imaterial do Brasil (IPHAN, 2014) e recebeu o selo de produto com designação de origem em 2012 (INPI, 2016). Sua produção utiliza leite, sal, coalho e uma cultura iniciadora natural, chamada popularmente de pingo. Esse estudo visou a caracterização da microbiota presente no queijo maturado da Serra da Canastra e no pingo utilizado em sua produção utilizando técnicas avançadas de sequenciamento em larga escala para identificação das bactérias e fungos ali presentes. Nossos dados da microbiota bacteriana foram comparados com dados da microbiota de outros queijos brasileiros e do mundo disponíveis na literatura. As principais bactérias encontradas em amostras de pingo pertencem aos gêneros Lactococcus (45.6%), Streptococcus (30.3%), Staphylococcus (5.1%), e em amostras de queijo aos gêneros Lactococcus (22.5%), Streptococcus (27.2%), Corynebacterium (18.8%), Staphylococcus (13.6%), Leuconostoc (6.3%) e Weissella (6%). Os principais gêneros de fungos encontrados nos queijos foram Debaryomycesa (78.6%), Trichosporona (7.8%). Nosso estudo foi capaz de separar a microbiota dos queijos produzidos na Serra da Canastra de outros queijos na Europa e América do Norte, sendo o pH um possível fator de segregação. Também foi observada uma diferença entre a microbiota do queijo Canastra com outros queijos Brasileiros. Além disso, visualizamos que a distância geográfica entre produtores e a sazonalidade possuem um efeito sobre a microbiota dos pingos e queijos. A partir da análise de todos os microrganismos encontrados na microbiota bacteriana, foram detectados táxons que discriminam produtores por suas aplicações de boas práticas de fabricação e por sua infraestrutura. Observamos proporções menores de um táxon de Kocuria Kristinae nos pingos e um de Streptococcus nos queijos e proporções maiores de um táxon de Staphylococcus nos queijos. Também pudemos observar uma diminuição nas proporções de táxons de Debaryomycesa e aumento na proporção de táxons de Trichosporona na composição fúngica dos queijos, possivelmente devido a transição sazonal do período seco para o chuvoso. Usando técnicas moleculares de sequenciamento em larga escala, demonstramos que há uma diferença na microbiota presente em diferentes áreas da Serra da Canastra, um possível efeito da sazonalidade na composição fúngica e bacteriana. E evidenciamos que táxons de Streptococcus, Staphylococcus e Kocuria estão correlacionados às boas práticas de produção e elucidamos a conexão existente entre a microbiota do pingo e a do queijo. Estes resultados podem influenciar o desenvolvimento de métodos de rastreamento de sub-regiões específicas da Canastra e auxiliar os produtores na produção de queijos de boa qualidade, mantendo as características específicas de sua região

The Canastra cheese has great importance for the local culture and economy, being part of the Intangible Heritage of Brazil (IPHAN, 2014). It has received the protected designation of origin certification in 2012 (INPI, 2016). It's made using milk, salt, rennet and a endogenous starter culture, popularly called as "pingo". This study aimed to characterize the microbiota present in the Serra da Canastra's cheese and the pingo used in its production. In order to conduct this research we used next generation sequencing to identify the bacteria and fungi present there. Our bacterial microbiota dataset was compared with microbiota datasets from other Brazilian and world cheeses available in the literature. The main bacteria found were Lactococcus (45.6%), Streptococcus (30.3%) and Staphylococcus (5.1%) in the endogenous starter samples and Lactococcus (22.5%), Streptococcus (27.2%), Corynebacterium (18.8 %), Staphylococcus (13.6%), Leuconostoc (6.3%) and Weissella (6%) in cheese samples. The main fungi found in the cheeses were Debaryomycesa (78.6%) and Trichosporona (7.8%). We were able to separate the microbiota from Serra da Canastra cheeses and other cheeses in Europe and North America, being the pH a possible segregation factor. Furthermore, a difference was also observed between the microbiota of Canastra and other Brazilian cheeses. In addition, we observed that the geographical distance between producers and the seasonality could be affecting the pingos and cheeses microbiota. We found bacterial taxa that could discriminate producers by their good manufacturing practices and their local infrastructure. Low levels of good manufacturing practices (GMPs) were assigned to bigger proportions of a Kocuria Kristinae taxon in the pingos and a Staphylococcus taxon in the cheeses. Also, higher levels of GMPs were assigned to smaller proportions of Streptococcus taxons in the cheeses. Furthermore We could observe a decrease of Debaryomycesa and an increase of Trichosporona proportions in the fungal composition of cheeses. This could be due to a climate transition: from the dry season to the rainy season. Using large-scale sampling coupled with molecular sequencing techniques, we observe a connection between pingo and cheeses microbiota. We show that the microbiota of different areas in Serra da Canastra is different, also, there is a possible effect of seasonality on fungal and bacterial composition. Furthermore, we could see that Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Kocuria taxons are correlated with good practices. These results may influence the development of tracking methods for specific Canastra subregions and assist producers to manufacture good quality cheeses while maintaining the specific characteristics of their region

Analysis of the changes in intestinal microecology in the early stage of sepsis rat based on 16S rDNA sequencing / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To investigate the changes of intestinal microecology in the early stage of sepsis rat model by 16S rDNA sequencing.Methods:Sixty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) group and sham operation group (Sham group), with 30 rats in each group. In the CLP group, sepsis rat model was reproduced by CLP method; the rats in the Sham group only underwent laparotomy without CLP. At 24 hours after the operation, the intestinal feces and serum samples of 8 rats in each group were collected. The survival rate of the rest rats was observed until the 7th day. The level of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Intestinal feces were sequenced by 16S rDNA sequencing technology. The operational taxonomic unit (OTU) data obtained after sequence comparison and clustering was used for α diversity and β diversity analysis, principal coordinate analysis and linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis (LEfSe) to observe the changes of intestinal microecology in early sepsis rats and excavate the marker flora.Results:At 24 hours after the reproduction of the model, the rats in the CLP group showed shortness of breath, scattered hair and other manifestations, and the level of serum TNF-α increased significantly as compared with that in the Sham group (ng/L: 43.95±9.05 vs. 11.08±3.27, P < 0.01). On the 7th day after modeling, the cumulative survival rate of the Sham group was 100%, while that of the CLP group was 31.82%. Diversity analysis showed that there was no significant difference in α diversity parameter between the Sham group and the CLP group (number of species: 520.00±52.15 vs. 492.25±86.61, Chao1 richness estimator: 707.25±65.69 vs. 668.93±96.50, Shannon index: 5.74±0.42 vs. 5.79±0.91, Simpson index: 0.93±0.03 vs. 0.94±0.05, all P > 0.05). However, the β diversity analysis showed that the difference between groups was greater than that within groups whether weighted according to OTU or not (abundance weighted matrix: R = 0.23, P = 0.04; abundance unweighted matrix: R = 0.32, P = 0.01). At the phylum level, the abundance of Proteobacteria and Candidatus_sacchari in the CLP group increased significantly as compared with the Sham group [18.100% (15.271%, 26.665%) vs. 6.974% (2.854%, 9.764%), 0.125% (0.027%, 0.159%)% vs. 0.018% (0.008%, 0.021%), both P < 0.05]. At the genus level, the abundance of opportunistic pathogen including Helicobacter, Ruthenium, Streptococcus, Clostridium ⅩⅧ in the CLP group was significantly higher than that in the Sham group [5.090% (1.812%, 6.598%) vs. 0.083% (0.034%, 0.198%), 0.244% (0.116%, 0.330%) vs. 0.016% (0.008%, 0.029%), 0.006% (0.003%, 0.010%) vs. 0.001% (0%, 0.003%), 0.094% (0.035%, 0.430%) vs. 0.007% (0.003%, 0.030%), all P < 0.05], and the abundance of probiotics such as Alloprevotella and Romboustia was significantly lower than that in the Sham group [7.345% (3.662%, 11.546%) vs. 22.504% (14.403%, 26.928%), 0.113% (0.047%, 0.196%) vs. 1.229% (0.809%, 2.29%), both P < 0.01]. LEfSe analysis showed that the probiotics belonging to Firmicutes were significantly enriched in the Sham group, and Romboustia was the most significantly enriched species. Opportunistic pathogens such as Helicobacter, Streptococcus and Clostridium ⅩⅧ were significantly enriched in the CLP group, Helicobacter_NGSU_ 2015 was the most significantly enriched species. Conclusion:In the early stage of sepsis, the intestinal microbiota structure of rats is significantly changed, which mainly shows that the abundance of Alloprevotella and other probiotics is significantly reduced, while that of Helicobacter and other opportunistic pathogens is significantly increased.

Characteristics and Functional Differences of Intestinal Flora in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Dampness Heat Trapping Spleen Syndrome and Qi-Yin Deficiency Syndrome： An Analysis Based on High-throughput Sequencing Technology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the structural characteristics and functional differences of intestinal flora in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） of dampness heat trapping spleen（DHTS） syndrome and Qi-Yin deficiency（QYD） syndrome. MethodFrom June 2018 to January 2020，62 T2DM patients with DHTS syndrome and 60 with QYD syndrome were selected from Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. Serum and fecal samples were collected to compare body mass index（BMI），glucose and lipid metabolism，fasting insulin （FINS） and fasting C-peptide （FCP） levels，and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance（HOMA-IR） of the two syndrome types. Fecal samples were extracted for DNA database construction，and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze and compare the intestinal flora and metabolic pathways. Result① The BMI，fasting plasma glucose（FPG），2-hour postprandial blood glucose （2 h PBG），total cholesterol（TC），triglyceride（TG），low density lipoprotein（LDL），FINS，FCP，and HOMA-IR were higher in patients with DHTS syndrome than in patients with QYD syndrome，and the high density lipoprotein（HDL） of the former was lower than that of the latter，（P<0.05，P<0.01）. ② In terms of species composition and differences，Bacteroidetes， Clostridia and Gammaproteobacteria were dominant at the class level，and the relative abundance of Clostridia，Mollicutes and Verrucomicrobiae in QYD syndrome group was higher than that in DHTS syndrome group. At the order level，Bacteroidales，Clostridiales and Enterobacteriales were mainly found. The relative abundance of Clostridiales，Erysipelotrichales and Verrucomicrobiales in QYD syndrome group was obviously higher than that in DHTS syndrome group，while Aeromonadales in the former was lower than that in the latter （P<0.05）. At the family level，Bacteroidaceae，Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae were predominant. The relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae，Porphyromonadaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae in QYD syndrome group was higher than that in DHTS syndrome group（P<0.05）. At the genus level，Bacteroides，Prevotella and Parabacteroides were mainly found. The relative abundance of Parabacteroides，Butyrivibrio and Ruminiclostridium in QYD syndrome group was higher than that in DHTS syndrome group，while that of Klebsiella and Megasphaera in DHTS syndrome group was higher than that in QYD syndrome group（P<0.05）. ③ Through Venn analysis of operational taxonomic units（OTU），it was found that there were 49 OTUs in patients with DHTS syndrome patients and 47 OTUs in QYD syndrome patients. ④ The results of OTU β diversity and α analysis showed that Shannon and Simpson indexes had statistical differences，while Ace and Chao indexes had no statistical differences. The intestinal microbial diversity of patients with QYD syndrome was higher than that of patients with DHTS syndrome（P<0.05）. The analysis of similarities （ANOSIM） showed that the difference of β diversity between the two groups was significant（P<0.05）. ⑤ Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size（LEfSe） results demonstrated that Klebsiella，Megasphaera and Aeromonadales could be selected as the key biomarkers for DHTS syndrome； 14 bacteria such as Ruminiclostridium，Burkholderiaceae，Lautropia，Butyrivibrio，Erysipelotrichales can be selected as the key biomarkers for QYD syndrome. ⑥Functional annotation and analysis showed that the DHTS syndrome involved 9 metabolic pathways，including arginine and proline metabolism，lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis，nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolism，while the QYD syndrome involved 10 metabolic pathways，including acarbose and valinomycin biosynthesis，glucagon signaling pathway and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. ConclusionThere are obvious differences in intestinal flora and functions in T2DM patients of DHTS syndrome and QYD syndrome，which can be used as reference for traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation and the target of TCM treatment.

Effects of long-term high-fat diet on bone mineral density and intestinal flora / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of long-term high-fat diet on bone mineral density and intestinal flora in mice.Methods:Sixteen male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group (NC group) and high-fat group (HF group). After 24 weeks of high-fat feeding, biochemical indicators such as blood glucose and blood lipids were detected, bilateral femurs were taken and bone microstructure was analyzed with micro-computered tomography (micro-CT), and changes of intestinal microbial composition and proportion were revealed using 16S rDNA sequencing technology.Results:Compared with the control group, the serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in HF group were significantly increased. Micro-CT uncovered that the bone mineral density (Tb.BMD), bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and the number of trabecular bone (Tb.N) decreased, yet structural model index (SMI) and the trabecular fraction (Tb.Sp) increased in the HF group mice. The gut microbiota 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the proportion of Proteobacter was significantly increased and the proportions of pachycete, warty microbacterius, and actinomycete were reduced in HF group at the phyla level. The proportion of Bacteroidetes S24-7_norank in the NC group was significantly higher than that in the HF group, and the multilevel discriminant analysis of species differences (LEfSe) identified that the difference was significant, yet the proportion of Bacteroides, Pseudo-Prevotella, Desulfovibrio, Altobacter, and Helicobacter in the HF group were higher than those in the NC group, which were significant differences in Altobacter and Helicobacter at genus level.Conclusion:Long-term high-fat feeding can cause the destruction of femoral trabecular structure, decrease in the number of trabeculus bones, and bone mineral density in C57BL/6 mice. It also leads to significant changes in the composition and proportion of the intestinal flora.

Integrating 16S sequencing and metabolomics study on anti-rheumatic mechanisms against collagen-induced arthritis of Wantong Jingu Tablet / 中国天然药物

Wantong Jingu Tablet (WJT), a mixture of traditional Chinese medicine, was reported to relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but its pharmacological mechanism was not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms of WJT for RA in vivo. The effects of WJT on joint pathology, as well as the levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3, ERK1/2, pERK1/2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were measured using collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. The intestinal flora composition and the metabolites alteration were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolomics method, respectively. We found that WJT ameliorated the severity of the CIA rats which might be mediated by inducing apoptosis, inactivating the MEK/ERK signals and reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. WJT, in part, relieved the gut microbiota dysbiosis, especially bacterial phylum Bacteroidetes, Tenericutes and Deferribacteres, as well as bacterial genus Vibrio, Macrococcus and Vagococcus. 3'-N-debenzoyl-2'-deoxytaxol, tubulysin B, and magnoline were significantly associated with the specific genera. We identified serotonin, glutathione disulfide, N-acetylneuraminic acid, naphthalene and thromboxane B2 as targeted molecules via metabolomics. Our findings contributed to the understanding of RA pathogenesis, and WJT played essential roles in gut microbiota health and metabolite modulation in the CIA rats.

Screening and Characterization of Bacillus Strains Producing Highly Thermostable Amylase from Various Hot Springs of Algeria

HIGHLIGHTS Screening extremophile Bacillus strains from various Hot Springs Characterization Of Bacillus Strains Producing Highly Thermostable Amylase Genetic identification of the best strains

Abstract Currently thermostable Amylase represents a broad biotechnological interest and desired by a various industries. In this study, forty-six bacterial strains belonging to the genus Bacillus were isolated from various hot springs in the North West of Algeria based on their ability to degrade starch and produce amylase in Starch Agar medium. The majority of isolates showed a positive amylolytic activity. In order to select the most thermostables amylase the effect of temperature on enzymes was estimated, therefore the study of amylase thermostability was culminated by the selection of Four Strains having an interesting optimum of activity and range of stability, reaching 75 °C for the strains HBH1-2, HBH1-3, HBH3-1and 85 °C for the strain HC-2, This indicates that the Enzyme produced by retained strains have optimum activity at high temperature. The identity of the selected strains was established on the basis of the morphological, biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic position as determined by 16S Ribosomal DNA gene sequencing. The whole strains belonged to the genus Bacillus and their phylogeny were also reported in this study.

Molecular identification of antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from used contact lens cases

Aims@#The contact lens (CL) has become one of the most convenience refractive devices used in vision correction, occupational and in cosmetics purposes. Despite the convenience of CL usage, poor hygiene might cause eye infections due to microbial contamination. In this work, a random collection of used CL cases among Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) students had shown the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria towards commonly used antibiotics to treat eye infections.@*Methodology and results@#The study was carried out from 28 CL cases samples with the duration of one to three months of use. Bacteria that were successfully isolated from the CL cases were then exposed to the commonly prescribed antibiotics followed by identification through the partial 16S rDNA sequencing. Our finding exhibited that the rate of contamination is over 50% where 32 bacteria were isolated, with 20 (62.5%) of the isolates were Gram-positive bacteria. Approximately 31% of the isolated bacteria are resistant and intermediate resistant to the commonly used antibiotics to treat eye infection, especially erythromycin and chloramphenicol. The isolated bacteria were genotypic identified as Bacillus cereus, B. anthracis, Acinetobacter variabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens. These bacteria are known as a common cause for microbial keratitis, except for A. variabilis, where the association of this bacteria in causing microbial keratitis is relatively rare.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#This study highlights the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can cause severe eye infections among CL wearer. The high percentage of contamination (>50%) found from the isolates reflected on the lack of hygiene practice on the CL handling. Thus, it is crucial to perceive this study as microbial contamination will lead to more serious eye infection disease such as conjunctivitis and keratitis.

Effects of Bupleurum chinense on the diversity of intestinal flora in depressed mice / 中国中药杂志

Bupleuri Radix, serving as the sovereign medicinal in many antidepressant compound preparations, has been proved effective in treating depression in mice, but its effect on the intestinal flora remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Bupleurum chinense(one of the original materials of Bupleuri Radix) on the behaviors and the diversity of intestinal flora of depressed mice. A depression mouse model was induced by repeated social defeat stress. Specifically, C57 BL/6 J male mice were exposed to the attack from the CD-1 mice. Then, C57 BL/6 J male mice were divided into a depression group and a B. chinense group, with normal saline and B. chinense administered(ig) respectively. Sucrose preference test and tail suspension test were conducted during and after the experiment respectively, to analyze the effects of B. chinense on the behaviors of the depressed mice. The feces were collected after the experiment. The V3-V4 16 S rDNA regions of intestinal flora of mice in each group were sequenced by Ion S5 TMXL for the analysis of the number of operational taxonomic units(OTUs), richness, alpha and beta diversity indexes, and differential phyla and genera. The results indicated that B. chinense could decrease depressive-like behaviors of mice, increase sucrose preference, and shorten the time of immobility in tail suspension test. After B. chinense intervention, the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly decreased, while that of Bacteroidetes was increased at the phylum level. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Lachnoclostridium decreased(P<0.05), while that of Bacteroides, Alistopes, etc. was elevated(P<0.05). The findings demonstrate that B. chinense can regulate the intestinal flora and improve the depressive-like behaviors of mice with depression.