Long-read metagenomics empowers precise tracking of bacterial strains and their genomic changes after fecal microbiota transplantation.

A recent study published in Drug Week discusses the use of long-read metagenomics in tracking bacterial strains after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). FMT has been successful in treating recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) and is being explored for other diseases. The study introduces a new framework called LongTrack, which utilizes long-read metagenomic assemblies to accurately track bacterial strains in FMT cases. The researchers found that LongTrack uncovered hundreds of engrafted strains in six FMT cases and also revealed genomic and epigenomic changes in these strains over a 5-year follow-up period. The study suggests that incorporating long-read sequencing can enhance strain tracking in future FMT studies and aid in the development of more effective biotherapeutics. [Extracted from the article]