# ‘Multi-omics’ data integration: applications in probiotics studies

## TL;DR

This review highlights how combining multiple 'omics' technologies improves understanding of probiotics and their effects on the host microbiome.

## Contribution

The paper emphasizes the necessity and benefits of multi-omics integration for comprehensive probiotics research.

## Key findings

- Multi-omics approaches reveal regulatory features and phenotypes in probiotics-host interactions.
- Single omics methods often overlook key molecular processes, justifying the need for integration.
- Multi-omics data integration platforms support better probiotics selection and microbiome analysis.

## Abstract

The concept of probiotics is witnessing increasing attention due to its benefits in influencing the host microbiome and the modulation of host immunity through the strengthening of the gut barrier and stimulation of antibodies. These benefits, combined with the need for improved nutraceuticals, have resulted in the extensive characterization of probiotics leading to an outburst of data generated using several ‘omics’ technologies. The recent development in system biology approaches to microbial science is paving the way for integrating data generated from different omics techniques for understanding the flow of molecular information from one ‘omics’ level to the other with clear information on regulatory features and phenotypes. The limitations and tendencies of a ‘single omics’ application to ignore the influence of other molecular processes justify the need for ‘multi-omics’ application in probiotics selections and understanding its action on the host. Different omics techniques, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and lipidomics, used for studying probiotics and their influence on the host and the microbiome are discussed in this review. Furthermore, the rationale for ‘multi-omics’ and multi-omics data integration platforms supporting probiotics and microbiome analyses was also elucidated. This review showed that multi-omics application is useful in selecting probiotics and understanding their functions on the host microbiome. Hence, recommend a multi-omics approach for holistically understanding probiotics and the microbiome.