SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZING COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING FECAL-DERIVED BACTERIAL POPULATIONS

摘要

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for characterizing a first composition comprising a fecal-derived bacterial population, comprising the steps of: obtaining a live culture of the first composition comprising a fecal-derived bacterial population, supplying factors that selectively expand the at least one bacterial strain at a level below a threshold for detection above the threshold level by seeding a chemostat containing culture medium with a second composition comprising a fecal-derived bacterial population; adding the live culture of the first composition comprising a fecal-derived bacterial population to the seeded chemostat, and culturing the first composition comprising a fecal-derived bacterial population with the second composition comprising a fecal-derived bacterial population in the chemostat for a time sufficient to expand the at least one bacterial strain; removing a sample of the chemostat culture; and identifying the at least one bacterial strain.