Differences in Gut Microbiota Composition and Predicted Metabolic Functions: a Pilot Study of Adolescents with Normal Weight and Obesity

Understanding the principles underlying the stability and sustainability of the gut microbiome of adolescents with normal weight and obesity will make it possible to implement a personalized approach to the correction of metabolic disorders. The article presents the results of a pilot study of the diversity and metabolic potential of the gut microbiome in adolescents with normal body weight and obesity. Biological material was studied using metagenomic sequencing of the V3-V4 variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. In all adolescents with normal weight, similar degree of the phylogenetic relationship between the bacterial taxa of the community was demonstrated. In contrast, obese adolescents were characterized by the presence of phylogenetically distinct taxa in the gut microbiota. However, even with differences in taxonomic composition, the gut microbial community can compensate for the absence of certain taxonomic groups by implementing the necessary metabolic functions using other phylogenetically close taxa.