About the Authors

Mary O′Connell Motherway

Affiliation Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland

Debbie Watson

Affiliation Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland

Francesca Bottacini

Affiliation Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland

Tyson A. Clark

Affiliation Pacific Biosciences, Menlo Park, California, United States of America

Richard J. Roberts

Affiliation New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States of America

Jonas Korlach

Affiliation Pacific Biosciences, Menlo Park, California, United States of America

Peggy Garault

Affiliation Danone Nutricia Research, Palaiseau, France

Christian Chervaux

Affiliation Danone Nutricia Research, Palaiseau, France

Johan E. T. van Hylckama Vlieg

Affiliation Danone Nutricia Research, Palaiseau, France

Tamara Smokvina

Affiliation Danone Nutricia Research, Palaiseau, France

Douwe van Sinderen

d.vansinderen@ucc.ie

Affiliation Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and School of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland

Competing Interests

We have the following interests: Peggy Garault, Christian Chervaux , Johan E. T. van Hylckama Vlieg and Tamara Smokvina are employed by Danone Nutricia Research, one of the funders of this study. Danone is selling the product containing the strain described in the submitted manuscript. Danone Nutricia Research financed part of this study. Tyson A. Clark and Jonas Korlach are employed by Pacific Biosciences and Richard J. Roberts by New England Biolabs. DvS, MOCM, DW, TS and PG are named inventors on pending patent application PCT/IB2013/002951 filed December 02 2013 "Genetic Transformation of Bifidobacteria". There are no further patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter our adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for authors.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: MOCM TS DvS. Performed the experiments: MOCM DW TC. Analyzed the data: MOCM DW FB TC RJR JK JvHV PG CC TS DVS. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: MOCM TS DvS. Wrote the paper: MOCM DvS.