Body site-typical microbiome signatures for adultsOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
This study used the curatedMetagenomicData Bioconductor package (version 3.2.1 or later) to calculate taxa prevalence across healthy adult samples from six body sites: vagina, skin, feces, nasal cavity, milk, and oral cavity. Prevalence was assessed at both the species and genus taxonomic levels. The goal was to derive lists of taxa that are typical, or characteristic, of each body site under different prevalence thresholds. This produces a reference set of body site-typical microbiome signatures for adults.
Who was studied?
The population consisted of healthy adult control samples drawn from curated public metagenomic datasets aggregated in the curatedMetagenomicData resource. The abstract does not give a specific total sample size or cohort name, but the samples span multiple body sites (vagina, skin, feces, nasal cavity, milk, oral cavity) rather than a single anatomical niche. A companion study using the same package and approach, but for children, is referenced separately, indicating this analysis is specific to the adult population.
What were the most important findings?
The analysis generated site-specific lists of typical microbial taxa at both species and genus levels for each of the six body sites examined. These lists are provided at multiple prevalence thresholds, allowing users to define what counts as a typical taxon more or less strictly. The findings represent a structured, reusable catalog of healthy adult microbiome signatures rather than a single novel biological result. No specific taxa, effect sizes, or statistical values are reported in the abstract itself.
What are the greatest implications of this study?
By defining what is typical at each body site in healthy adults, this resource gives researchers a baseline against which disease-associated or dysbiotic microbiome states can be compared. The tiered prevalence thresholds make the signatures flexible for different research applications, from strict core-microbiome definitions to broader typical-taxa lists. Pairing this adult dataset with the companion pediatric study allows for future comparisons of how body site-typical signatures differ across the lifespan. This kind of reference catalog supports downstream work identifying deviations linked to specific health conditions.