Method for the identification of bacteria

A method, for the identification of bacterial isolates suitable for use in bacteriotherapy in a human recipient, the method comprising:

• (i) preparing a culture of material collected from a host harbouring microbiota;
• (ii) detecting group of individual bacterial species within the culture of step (i) by genomic DNA sequencing, and isolating the group of detected individual bacterial species from the culture;
• (iii) assessing combinations of the group of isolated detected individual species from step (ii) to identify combinations of no more than 9 of the detected individual bacterial species for use in, or suitable for use in, bacteriotherapy by:
• (a) administering the combinations of the group of isolated detected individual bacterial species to a human or non-human animal recipient and measuring a shift in the recipient's microbiota to that of a healthy microbiota, wherein an increase in species diversity indicates a shift to healthy microbiota, and/or
• (b) assessing the combinations of the group of isolated detected individual bacterial species in an animal model to identify combinations that are able to alter host biology such as to resolve a pathology in vivo by altering resident intestinal microbiota composition;
• and
• (iv) selecting a combination of no more than 9 of the isolated detected individual bacterial species assessed in step (iii) that shifts the recipient's microbiota to that of a healthy microbiota by increasing species diversity, and/or resolves a pathology in vivo, for use in bacteriotherapy.