The older infants in our study received a more diverse diet. Significant higher

numbers of Bifidobacterium were observed in infants versus adults and seniors. We conclude, therefore, that the high level of Bifidobacterium observed in our panel was not strictly correlated to breast feeding and could be considered as a broad signature of the infant microbiota during the first year of life. This observation confirms previous reports indicating that the gastrointestinal selleck chemicals llc tract is first colonized by facultative anaerobes, such as E. coli [23]. Strict anaerobes, such as Clostridium, colonize at later stages, as can be seen by the relatively low levels of C. leptum and C. coccoides in infants [23]. Our results are in agreement with these previous reports. We hypothesize that diet change must be considered among the primary causes for such a shift of microbiota between infants and adults. In the case of elderly subjects, our qPCR results indicated a significant increase in the counts of E. coli when compared to adults. This data is consistent with other publications indicating that elderly {Selleck Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Selleck Antidiabetic Compound Library|Selleck Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Selleck Antidiabetic Compound Library|Selleckchem Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Selleckchem Antidiabetic Compound Library|Selleckchem Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Selleckchem Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library|buy Anti-diabetic Compound Library|Anti-diabetic Compound Library ic50|Anti-diabetic Compound Library price|Anti-diabetic Compound Library cost|Anti-diabetic Compound Library solubility dmso|Anti-diabetic Compound Library purchase|Anti-diabetic Compound Library manufacturer|Anti-diabetic Compound Library research buy|Anti-diabetic Compound Library order|Anti-diabetic Compound Library mouse|Anti-diabetic Compound Library chemical structure|Anti-diabetic Compound Library mw|Anti-diabetic Compound Library molecular weight|Anti-diabetic Compound Library datasheet|Anti-diabetic Compound Library supplier|Anti-diabetic Compound Library in vitro|Anti-diabetic Compound Library cell line|Anti-diabetic Compound Library concentration|Anti-diabetic Compound Library nmr|Anti-diabetic Compound Library in vivo|Anti-diabetic Compound Library clinical trial|Anti-diabetic Compound Library cell assay|Anti-diabetic Compound Library screening|Anti-diabetic Compound Library high throughput|buy Antidiabetic Compound Library|Antidiabetic Compound Library ic50|Antidiabetic Compound Library price|Antidiabetic Compound Library cost|Antidiabetic Compound Library solubility dmso|Antidiabetic Compound Library purchase|Antidiabetic Compound Library manufacturer|Antidiabetic Compound Library research buy|Antidiabetic Compound Library order|Antidiabetic Compound Library chemical structure|Antidiabetic Compound Library datasheet|Antidiabetic Compound Library supplier|Antidiabetic Compound Library in vitro|Antidiabetic Compound Library cell line|Antidiabetic Compound Library concentration|Antidiabetic Compound Library clinical trial|Antidiabetic Compound Library cell assay|Antidiabetic Compound Library screening|Antidiabetic Compound Library high throughput|Anti-diabetic Compound high throughput screening| subjects harbor BV-6 a different E. coli microbiota profile compared to younger adults [26–28]. Concerning the microbiota of the elderly, a number of authors reported a reduction in the numbers and diversity of many protective commensal anaerobes, such as Bacteroides

and Bifidobacteria. These reports also suggest a shift in the dominant bacterial species

[17, 19]. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio was already shown to be of significant relevance in signaling human gut microbiota status [7]. This previous work focused on lean individuals and used 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Our measurements of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in adults obtained by our species-specific qPCR are in agreement with those obtained by Ley et al. [7]. Compared with young adults, the elderly have a different digestive physiology, characterized at a physiological level by a reduction in transit and of digestive secretions. These changes could explain the observed changes in the fecal microbiota associated with advancing age. Conclusion Our results illustrate a measurable progression of bacterial species colonizing Baricitinib the human intestinal tract during different stages of life. This progression is easily observed and quantified using qPCR to evaluate numbers of bacteria belonging to major dominant and subdominant groups of the human fecal microbiota. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio undergoes an increase from birth to adulthood and is further altered with advanced age. This ratio appears applicable in highlighting variations between infants, adults and the elderly. It can be linked to overall changes in bacterial profiles at different stages of life.