Expanding the cultivated human archaeome by targeted isolation of novel Methanobrevibacter strains from fecal samples

Expanding the cultivated human archaeome by targeted isolation of novel Methanobrevibacter strains from fecal samples | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Expanding the cultivated human archaeome by targeted isolation of novel Methanobrevibacter strains from fecal samples Christine Moissl-Eichinger, Stefanie Duller, Simone Vrbancic, and 20 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4250821/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 31 Aug, 2024 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Archaea are vital components of the human microbiome, yet their study within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is limited by the scarcity of cultured representatives. Our study presents a targeted cultivation method enriching methanogenic archaea from human fecal samples. The procedure combines methane breath testing, in silico metabolic modelling, media optimization, FACS, dilution series, and genomic sequencing through Nanopore technology. Additional analyses include co-cultured bacteriome, comparative genomics of archaeal genomes, functional comparisons, and structure-based protein function prediction of unknown differential traits. Successful establishment of stable archaeal cultures from 14 out of 16 fecal samples yielded nine previously uncultivated strains, eight of which were absent from a recent archaeome genome catalog. Comparative genomic and functional assessments of Methanobrevibacter smithii and Candidatus Methanobrevibacter intestini strains from individual donors revealed features potentially associated with gastrointestinal diseases. Our work broadens available archaeal representatives for GIT studies, and offers insights into Candidatus Methanobrevibacter intestini genomes' adaptability in critical microbiome contexts. Biological sciences/Microbiology/Archaea Biological sciences/Microbiology/Microbial communities Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryTables.xlsx Supplementary Tables SupplementaryInformation20240411.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 31 Aug, 2024 Read the published version in Nature Communications → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4250821","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":290092097,"identity":"43a9f6fb-afcb-4a0d-99f6-a352dc48ca84","order_by":0,"name":"Christine 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