# Effects of Bifidobacterium Dominance on the Infant Microbiome

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $28,400

## Abstract

Project Summary
The microbial colonization of the infant gut has life-long implications for health. The intestine of breast-fed infants
is commonly dominated by Bifidobacterium, particularly by strains that are capable of digesting human milk
oligosaccharide (HMO). The first goal of this work is to identify the species of bacteria negatively correlated with
Bifidobacterium and to explore whether the dominance of Bifidobacterium over these organisms is related to the
efficiency and mechanism used by Bifidobacterium to consume HMO. Next, this proposal will explore if
Bifidobacterium are capable of reducing the levels of antibiotic resistance in the microbiome. Aim 1 uses
sequencing based techniques to assess the bacterium negatively correlated with the presence of Bifidobacterium
in infant stool samples in vivo. We predict that Bifidobacterium will be negatively correlated with both Bacteroides
and members of family Enterobacteriaceae. Also in Aim 1, we will use mass spectrometry to measure the
microbial metabolites in stool samples to correlate the presence of remaining carbohydrates in the stool with the
bacteria present. In Aim 2, we will then isolate Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and members of family
Enterobacteriaceae and test the way these species interact in the presence of HMO in vitro. Aim 3 explores the
ability of Bifidobacterium to reduce levels of antibiotic resistance genes in the microbiome, using sequencing
technology to determine if there is a correlation between antibiotic resistance gene levels and the presence of
Bifidobacterium. I anticipate finding lower levels of antibiotic resistance in communities dominated by
Bifidobacterium. These experiments will enhance our understanding of the developing infant microbiome and
work towards identifying potential prophylactic probiotics for use in infants with the potential to reduce levels of
dysbiotic community members such as Enterobacteriaceae in the infant microbiome and at the same time reduce
levels of antibiotic resistance.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10267162
- **Project number:** 5F32HD093185-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** diana hazard taft
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $28,400
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2021-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10267162

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10267162, Effects of Bifidobacterium Dominance on the Infant Microbiome (5F32HD093185-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10267162. Licensed CC0.

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