Kim Tae Kyung, Thomas Susan M, Ho Mengfei, Sharma Shobha, Reich Claudia I, Frank Jeremy A, Yeater Kathleen M, Biggs Diana R, Nakamura Noriko, Stumpf Rebecca, Leigh Steven R, Tapping Richard I, Blanke Steven R, Slauch James M, Gaskins H Rex, Weisbaum Jon S, Olsen Gary J, Hoyer Lois L, Wilson Brenda A
Host-Microbe Systems Theme, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
J Clin Microbiol. 2009 Apr;47(4):1181-9. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00854-08. Epub 2009 Jan 21.
Recent culture-independent studies have revealed that a healthy vaginal ecosystem harbors a surprisingly complex assemblage of microorganisms. However, the spatial distribution and composition of vaginal microbial populations have not been investigated using molecular methods. Here, we evaluated site-specific microbial composition within the vaginal ecosystem and examined the influence of sampling technique in detection of the vaginal microbiota. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were prepared from samples obtained from different locations (cervix, fornix, outer vaginal canal) and by different methods (swabbing, scraping, lavaging) from the vaginal tracts of eight clinically healthy, asymptomatic women. The data reveal that the vaginal microbiota is not homogenous throughout the vaginal tract but differs significantly within an individual with regard to anatomical site and sampling method used. Thus, this study illuminates the complex structure of the vaginal ecosystem and calls for the consideration of microenvironments when sampling vaginal microbiota as a clinical predictor of vaginal health.
最近的非培养研究表明，健康的阴道生态系统中存在着惊人复杂的微生物群落。然而，尚未使用分子方法研究阴道微生物种群的空间分布和组成。在此，我们评估了阴道生态系统内特定部位的微生物组成，并研究了采样技术对阴道微生物群检测的影响。从八名临床健康、无症状女性的阴道中，通过不同方法（擦拭、刮取、灌洗）从不同部位（宫颈、穹窿、阴道外口）获取样本，制备16S rRNA基因克隆文库。数据显示，阴道微生物群在整个阴道内并非均匀分布，而是在个体内部，根据解剖部位和所用采样方法的不同而有显著差异。因此，本研究阐明了阴道生态系统的复杂结构，并呼吁在将阴道微生物群作为阴道健康的临床预测指标进行采样时，考虑微环境因素。
