Given the likely significance of the microbiome on the development of NEC [21], it is notable that colonic sNEC-specific promoter DMRs are enriched for genes within the pathway, “role of pattern recognition receptors in the recognition of bacteria and viruses.” A number of genes in our DMR promoter data encode proteins previously shown to be associated with NEC pathobiology including TLR4 [12], PRKCZ [22], IL18 [23], IL17A [24]. This evidence concerns the gene TLR4 and necrotizing enterocolitis.