
A microbiome is the collective genetic material of the community of microorganisms living in a specific habitat, which can be a niche related to a living organism, e.g., the skin, mouth, or gut, or in the environment, e.g., in soil or water.
Our understanding of the complex relationships between these different microorganisms and the intricate mechanisms by which they influence health and disease has grown tremendously in recent years. Investigating and evaluating an individual’s microbiome and understanding the impact of altering it are important in many areas of medicine.
Microbiomes comprise bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, and the DNA of these microorganisms is studied to gain insights into their diversity, abundance, and functional potential. However, extracting DNA from complex microbiome samples can be challenging due to low DNA yields and the presence of inhibitors and background DNA from the host organism.
This article discusses how to isolate and analyse DNA from three important human microbiomes; the gut, skin, and oral microbiomes.