METHOD OF DETERMINING A QUANTITATIVE FINGERPRINT OF A SUBSET OF BACTERIA IN A PERSON'S GASTROINTESTINAL MICROBIOME

The relative abundance of bacterial species in a patient's microbiome is quantified using DNA nanostructures that fluoresce multiple colors. Immobilizing binders have binding sites with nucleotide sequences complementary to those at a primary site on rRNA subunits of each selected bacterial species. Fluorophore binders have binding sites with nucleotide sequences complementary to those at a secondary site on the rRNA subunits. The fluorophore binders for each bacterial species are attached to nanostructures that fluoresce a particular color for each bacteria. The immobilizing binders are attached to the surface of a microscopy chamber. RNA subunits are extracted from a microbiome sample of the patient and are attached to the corresponding immobilizing binders and fluorophore binders such that the RNA subunits of each bacterial species fluoresce a color unique to the species. DNA nanostructures emitting the same color are counted to determine the relative concentration of the bacterial species in the sample.