TY - JOUR
T1 - Cohabiting family members share microbiota with one another and with their dogs
AU - Song, Se Jin
AU - Lauber, Christian
AU - Costello, Elizabeth K.
AU - Lozupone, Catherine A.
AU - Humphrey, Gregory
AU - Berg-Lyons, Donna
AU - Gregory Caporaso, J.
AU - Knights, Dan
AU - Clemente, Jose C.
AU - Nakielny, Sara
AU - Gordon, Jeffrey I.
AU - Fierer, Noah
AU - Knight, Rob
PY - 2013/4/16
Y1 - 2013/4/16
N2 - Human-associated microbial communities vary across individuals: possible contributing factors include (genetic) relatedness, diet, and age. However, our surroundings, including individuals with whom we interact, also likely shape our microbial communities. To quantify this microbial exchange, we surveyed fecal, oral, and skin microbiota from 60 families (spousal units with children, dogs, both, or neither). Household members, particularly couples, shared more of their microbiota than individuals from different households, with stronger effects of co-habitation on skin than oral or fecal microbiota. Dog ownership significantly increased the shared skin microbiota in cohabiting adults, and dog-owning adults shared more 'skin' microbiota with their own dogs than with other dogs. Although the degree to which these shared microbes have a true niche on the human body, vs transient detection after direct contact, is unknown, these results suggest that direct and frequent contact with our cohabitants may significantly shape the composition of our microbial communities.
AB - Human-associated microbial communities vary across individuals: possible contributing factors include (genetic) relatedness, diet, and age. However, our surroundings, including individuals with whom we interact, also likely shape our microbial communities. To quantify this microbial exchange, we surveyed fecal, oral, and skin microbiota from 60 families (spousal units with children, dogs, both, or neither). Household members, particularly couples, shared more of their microbiota than individuals from different households, with stronger effects of co-habitation on skin than oral or fecal microbiota. Dog ownership significantly increased the shared skin microbiota in cohabiting adults, and dog-owning adults shared more 'skin' microbiota with their own dogs than with other dogs. Although the degree to which these shared microbes have a true niche on the human body, vs transient detection after direct contact, is unknown, these results suggest that direct and frequent contact with our cohabitants may significantly shape the composition of our microbial communities.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84881484788&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7554/eLife.00458
DO - 10.7554/eLife.00458
M3 - Article
C2 - 23599893
AN - SCOPUS:84881484788
SN - 2050-084X
VL - 2013
JO - eLife
JF - eLife
IS - 2
M1 - e00458
ER -