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Dryad

Data from: Fusobacterium nucleatum and Bacteroides fragilis detection in colorectal tumours: optimal target site and correlation with total bacterial load

Abstract

These data were generated to investigate detection of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis) across different regions of human colorectal tumours. Relative abundance of each species in DNA extracted for clinical molecular mutation testing from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumour samples from 42 patients was assessed using targeted real-time PCR quantitative (qPCR) (the screening cohort).  DNA was then freshly extracted from specific regions of tumours testing positive for one or both species (n = 20) and from 31 additional patients, and relative abundance of each species assessed using qPCR (site investigation cohort). Total bacterial load at the tumour luminal surface (where F. nucleatum and B. fragilis were most frequently detected) was also assessed by qPCR using primers targeting amplification of 16S rRNA. 16S sequencing was performed on tumour luminal surface DNA samples from five patients as an orthogonal method to confirm the ability to detect the targeted species by qPCR.