When the customer selects a particular goal and takes the gut profile test, the following strategy will be implemented to generate microbiome-based recommendations:

• Food recommendations are designed based on each bacterial biomarker for these 59 conditions included in 10 goals. In addition to goal-based microbial markers, the gut microbial profile is also taken into account to suggest food recommendations. This ensures that recommendations are unique when 2 people select the same goal.
• 40 out of 165 food ingredients in the food database are unique to the microbiome food database which is not present in nutrition or genetic recommendations. This ensures that unique food recommendations are shown when a microbiome test is taken.
• Disease risk scoring of the gut microbiome test will further determine the formulation of probiotics based on the highest-risk disease in addition to the goals selected.

We use the 16s RNA Illumina MiSeq sequencing in a process where a specific part of the bacterial DNA (the 16s RNA gene) is isolated and then analyzed using the MiSeq machine. The obtained data is used to identify and quantify different types of bacteria present in the sample.

Illumina MiSeq is a next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform that enables high-throughput sequencing of DNA and RNA. The machine reads short sections of DNA, called “reads,” and then uses those reads to build a larger, more complete picture of the DNA in a sample.

The number of sequencing reads generated for a given sample is known as sequencing depth. The greater the sequencing depth, the more information can be obtained about the microbial community present in the sample.

This is particularly important for low-abundance species, which may be missed if the sequencing depth is not sufficient. The xNARA gut profile test evaluates a minimum sequencing depth of at least 0.1 million reads per sample for more detailed analysis.

The process involves several steps that include:

Sample collection: Sample collection could be a significant factor that might affect the results and interpretations of a study. The xNARA gut profile kit ensures the stability of the sample and minimum contamination.

DNA extraction: Samples are collected from environmental or clinical sources and DNA is extracted using a variety of methods such as bead-beating, mechanical or chemical lysis, or the use of commercial kits.

PCR amplification: The specific region of the 16S rRNA gene that is conserved across most bacteria and archaea is amplified using PCR with specific primers that bind to the conserved regions. The PCR amplification step increases the amount of DNA for sequencing and also allows for the identification of specific microbial groups.

Library preparation: The amplified PCR products are then used to create a sequencing library, which includes adding adapters to the ends of the PCR products and indexing the samples using unique bar code sequences.

Quality control: The libraries are then checked for quality and quantity using a variety of methods, such as gel electrophoresis, qPCR, or high-throughput bio-analyzer platforms.

Sequencing: The libraries are then loaded onto the Illumina MiSeq platform and sequenced using the Illumina sequencing technology. This technology generates millions of short reads that are typically 150-300 base pairs in length.

Data analysis: The resulting sequences are then analyzed using bio-informatics tools to identify the microbial species present in the samples, and to determine the relative abundance of those species. The data can be further analyzed to identify the population structure and to compare microbial communities.

Report generation: The data obtained are interpreted to draw conclusions about the gut health index, microbial signature, and disease risk status of the sample.

Once the DNA data is analyzed, we follow this workflow to generate our reports: