Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Studies characterising the immunoglobulin (Ig)-bound microbiota apply varying methodologies, making comparisons difficult. This scoping review synthesised evidence on Ig–microbiota binding patterns in maternal and infant contexts, identified recurrent Ig-bound and -unbound bacteria across studies, and highlighted knowledge gaps for further study. Nine articles investigating Ig–microbiota binding patterns in stool or breastmilk samples in mothers or infants were included. Ig–microbiota associations were influenced by sample type, Ig-subclass, genetics, and diet. The most important antibody was IgA, with partial functional redundancy with IgM, while IgG appeared more selective for pathobionts. Ig-bound taxa in early life included important commensals and pathobionts, with high levels of individuality. Ig–microbiota associations shifted with microbiome maturation, environmental and host factors, resembling adults at around 2 years of age. Transfer of Ig-bound Bifidobacterium through breastmilk may contribute to vertical transmission from mother to infant. Ig–microbiota associations also differed between health and disease states, beyond the overall microbiota. Results were limited by study numbers and a lack of methodological consistency. We propose the standardised term “Ig-Seq” in referring to the technique to study Ig–microbiota binding patterns, and suggest standardisation of laboratory protocols, bioinformatic pipelines, and statistical analyses to improve consistency in Ig-Seq.
Keywords
antibody–microbiota, cell sorting, Ig-Seq, infant, maternal, microbiome, sequencing
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
6-1-2026
Article Number
e12
Volume
7
Publication Title
Gut Microbiome
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
School
Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
99971
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Jia, A. T. Y., Peacock, C. S., Dye, D. E., & Christophersen, C. T. (2026). Ig–microbiota binding patterns in mothers and infants: A scoping review. Gut Microbiome, 7. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmb.2026.10028