Halophilic Microorganisms Are Responsible for the Rosy Discolouration of Saline Environments in Three Historical Buildings with Mural Paintings

A number of mural paintings and building materials from monuments located in central and south Europe are characterized by the presence of an intriguing rosy discolouration phenomenon. Although some similarities were observed among the bacterial and archaeal microbiota detected in these monuments, their origin and nature is still unknown. In order to get a complete overview of this biodeterioration process, we investigated the microbial communities in saline environments causing the rosy discolouration of mural paintings in three Austrian historical buildings using a combination of culture-dependent and -independent techniques as well as microscopic techniques. The bacterial communities were dominated by halophilic members of Actinobacteria, mainly of the genus Rubrobacter. Representatives of the Archaea were also detected with the predominating genera Halobacterium, Halococcus and Halalkalicoccus. Furthermore, halophilic bacterial strains, mainly of the phylum Firmicutes, could be retrieved from two monuments using special culture media. Inoculation of building materials (limestone and gypsum plaster) with selected isolates reproduced the unaesthetic rosy effect and biodeterioration in the laboratory.     

Characterization of Bacterial Communities in Selected Smokeless Tobacco Products Using 16S rDNA Analysis

The bacterial communities present in smokeless tobacco (ST) products have not previously reported. In this study, we used Next Generation Sequencing to study the bacteria present in U.S.-made dry snuff, moist snuff and Sudanese toombak. Sample diversity and taxonomic abundances were investigated in these products. A total of 33 bacterial families from four phyla, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, were identified. U.S.-produced dry snuff products contained a diverse distribution of all four phyla. Moist snuff products were dominated by Firmicutes. Toombak samples contained mainly Actinobacteria and Firmicutes (Aerococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, and Staphylococcaceae). The program PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) was used to impute the prevalence of genes encoding selected bacterial toxins, antibiotic resistance genes and other pro-inflammatory molecules. PICRUSt also predicted the presence of specific nitrate reductase genes, whose products can contribute to the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. Characterization of microbial community abundances and their associated genomes gives us an indication of the presence or absence of pathways of interest and can be used as a foundation for further investigation into the unique microbiological and chemical environments of smokeless tobacco products.     

基于高通量测序技术研究水貂远端肠道细菌群落组成

【目的】研究水貂远端肠道微生物群落组成及其多样性。【方法】通过高通量测序技术研究水貂远端肠内容物细菌的组成和多样性。【结果】从10只健康水貂远端肠道内容物样品中得到146 287高质量序列代表17个菌门、167个细菌属。水貂肠道细菌以厚壁菌门(59.99%)、拟杆菌门(16.2%)、梭杆菌门(11.5%)、放线菌门(5.9%)和变形菌门(5.3%)为主,其中厚壁菌门最为丰富。厚壁菌门中的梭菌目是最丰富的目,而梭菌目中的链球菌占有50%以上的OTUs,是最大的细菌属。【结论】水貂肠道内存在复杂的微生物区系,这对进一步研究水貂对营养物质吸收利用提供了理论基础。     

16S rRNA metagenomic analysis of the symbiotic community structures of bacteria in foregut,midgut, and hindgut of the wood-feeding termite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bulbitermes</Emphasis> sp.

The termite gut is a highly structured microhabitat with physicochemically distinct regions. It is generally separated into the foregut, midgut and hindgut. The distribution of gut microbiota is greatly influenced by varying physicochemical conditions within the gut. Thus, each gut compartment has a unique microbial population structure. In this study, the bacterial communities of foregut, midgut and hindgut of wood-feeding higher termite, Bulbitermes sp. were analyzed in detail via metagenomic sequencing of the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region. While the microbiomes of the foregut and midgut shared a similar taxonomic pattern, the hindgut possessed more diverse bacterial phylotypes. The communities in the foregut and midgut were dominated by members of the group Bacilli and Clostridia (Firmicutes) as well as taxon Actinomycetales (Actinobacteria). The main bacterial lineage found in hindgut was Spirochaetaceae (Spirochaetes). The significant difference among the three guts was the relative abundance of the potential lignin-degrading bacteria, Actinomycetales, in both the foregut and midgut. This suggests that lignin modification was probably held in the anterior part of termite gut. Predictive functional profiles of the metagenomes using 16S rRNA marker gene showed that cell motility, energy metabolism and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins were found predominantly in hindgut microbiota, whereas xenobiotics degradation and metabolism mostly occurred in the foregut segment. This was compatible with our 16S rRNA metagenomic results showing that the lignocellulose degradation process was initiated by lignin disruption, increasing the accessibility of celluloses and hemicelluloses.     

Characterization of the gut microbiota in early life stages of pikeperch Sander lucioperca

This study characterized the gastrointestinal microbiome of nine juvenile farmed pikeperch Sander lucioperca using a metagenomics approach based on bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Potential changes in the gut microbiota during 2 months of S. lucioperca juvenile life were investigated. Results revealed that gut microbiota was dominated by Proteobacteria (95–92%), while other phyla Firmicutes (1–1·5%) and Actinobacteria (0·9–1·5%) were less abundant. At the family level, fish‐gut microbiota were dominated by Enterobacteriaceae, which constituted c. 83% of all DNA sequence reads. Such a situation was present in all of the examined fish except one, which showed a different proportion of particular microbial taxa than the other fish. In this fish, a higher relative abundance (%) of Fusobacteria (21·0%), Bacteroidetes (9·5%) and Firmicutes (7·5%) was observed. There were no significant differences in the gut microbiome structure at different stages of development in the examined fish. This may indicate that Proteobacteria inhabiting the gut microbiota at an early stage of life are a necessary component of the pikeperch microbiome that may support proper nutrition of the fish. The information obtained on the gut microbiome could be useful in determining juvenile S. lucioperca health and improving rearing conditions by welfare monitoring in aquaculture.     

Differences between bacterial communities in the gut of a soil-feeding termite (Cubitermes niokoloensis) and its mounds

In tropical ecosystems, termite mound soils constitute an important soil compartment covering around 10% of African soils. Previous studies have shown (S. Fall, S. Nazaret, J. L. Chotte, and A. Brauman, Microb. Ecol. 28:191-199, 2004) that the bacterial genetic structure of the mounds of soil-feeding termites (Cubitermes niokoloensis) is different from that of their surrounding soil. The aim of this study was to characterize the specificity of bacterial communities within mounds with respect to the digestive and soil origins of the mound. We have compared the bacterial community structures of a termite mound, termite gut sections, and surrounding soil using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis and cloning and sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments. DGGE analysis revealed a drastic difference between the genetic structures of the bacterial communities of the termite gut and the mound. Analysis of 266 clones, including 54 from excised bands, revealed a high level of diversity in each biota investigated. The soil-feeding termite mound was dominated by the Actinobacteria phylum, whereas the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla dominate the gut sections of termites and the surrounding soil, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a distinct clustering of Actinobacteria phylotypes between the mound and the surrounding soil. The Actinobacteria clones of the termite mound were diverse, distributed among 10 distinct families, and like those in the termite gut environment lightly dominated by the Nocardioidaceae family. Our findings confirmed that the soil-feeding termite mound (C. niokoloensis) represents a specific bacterial habitat in the tropics.     

Bacterial diversity in the cecum of the world's largest living rodent (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world's largest living rodent. Native to South America, this hindgut fermenter is herbivorous and coprophagous and uses its enlarged cecum to digest dietary plant material. The microbiota of specialized hindgut fermenters has remained largely unexplored. The aim of this work was to describe the composition of the bacterial community in the fermenting cecum of wild capybaras. The analysis of bacterial communities in the capybara cecum is a first step towards the functional characterization of microbial fermentation in this model of hindgut fermentation. We sampled cecal contents from five wild adult capybaras (three males and two females) in the Venezuelan plains. DNA from cecal contents was extracted, the 16S rDNA was amplified, and the amplicons were hybridized onto a DNA microarray (G2 PhyloChip). We found 933 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from 182 families in 21 bacterial phyla in the capybara cecum. The core bacterial microbiota (present in at least four animals) was represented by 575 OTUs. About 86% of the cecal bacterial OTUs belong to only five phyla, namely, Firmicutes (322 OTUs), Proteobacteria (301 OTUs), Bacteroidetes (76 OTUs), Actinobacteria (69 OTUs), and Sphirochaetes (37 OTUs). The capybara harbors a diverse bacterial community that includes lineages involved in fiber degradation and nitrogen fixation in other herbivorous animals.     

Composition, diversity, and origin of the bacterial community in grass carp intestine

Gut microbiota has become an integral component of the host, and received increasing attention. However, for many domestic animals, information on the microbiota is insufficient and more effort should be exerted to manage the gastrointestinal bacterial community. Understanding the factors that influence the composition of microbial community in the host alimentary canal is essential to manage or improve the microbial community composition. In the present study, 16S rRNA gene sequence-based comparisons of the bacterial communities in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) intestinal contents and fish culture-associated environments are performed. The results show that the fish intestinal microbiota harbors many cellulose-decomposing bacteria, including sequences related to Anoxybacillus, Leuconostoc, Clostridium, Actinomyces, and Citrobacter. The most abundant bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the grass carp intestinal content are those related to feed digestion. In addition, the potential pathogens and probiotics are important members of the intestinal microbiota. Further analyses show that grass carp intestine holds a core microbiota composed of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. The comparison analyses reveal that the bacterial community in the intestinal contents is most similar to those from the culture water and sediment. However, feed also plays significant influence on the composition of gut microbiota.     

A culture-based study of the bacterial communities within the guts of nine longicorn beetle species and their exo-enzyme producing properties for degrading xylan and pectin

In this study, bacterial communities within the guts of several longicorn beetles were investigated by a culture-dependent method. A total of 142 bacterial strains were isolated from nine species of longicorn beetle, including adults and larvae. A comparison of their partial 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that most of the bacteria constituting the gut communities can typically be found in soil, plants and the intestines of animals, and approximately 10% were proposed as unreported. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the bacterial species comprised 7 phyla, and approximately half were Gammaproteobacteria. Actinobacteria were the second most populous group (19%), followed by Firmicutes (13%) and Alphaproteobacteria (11%). Betaproteobacteria, Flavobacteria, and Acidobacteria were minor constituents. The taxonomic compositions of the isolates were variable according to the species of longicorn beetle. Particularly, an abundance of Actinobacteria existed in Moechotypa diphysis and Mesosa hirsute, which eat broadleaf trees; however, no Actinobacteria were isolated from Corymbia rubra and Monochamus alternatus, which are needle-leaf eaters. Considerable proportions of xylanase and pectinase producing bacteria in the guts of the longicorn beetles implied that the bacteria may play an important role in the digestion of woody diets. Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were the dominant xylanase producers in the guts of the beetles.     

Towards the human intestinal microbiota phylogenetic core

The paradox of a host specificity of the human faecal microbiota otherwise acknowledged as characterized by global functionalities conserved between humans led us to explore the existence of a phylogenetic core. We investigated the presence of a set of bacterial molecular species that would be altogether dominant and prevalent within the faecal microbiota of healthy humans. A total of 10 456 non-chimeric bacterial 16S rRNA sequences were obtained after cloning of PCR-amplified rDNA from 17 human faecal DNA samples. Using alignment or tetranucleotide frequency-based methods, 3180 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected. The 16S rRNA sequences mainly belonged to the phyla Firmicutes (79.4%), Bacteroidetes (16.9%), Actinobacteria (2.5%), Proteobacteria (1%) and Verrumicrobia (0.1%). Interestingly, while most of OTUs appeared individual-specific, 2.1% were present in more than 50% of the samples and accounted for 35.8% of the total sequences. These 66 dominant and prevalent OTUs included members of the genera Faecalibacterium , Ruminococcus , Eubacterium , Dorea , Bacteroides , Alistipes and Bifidobacterium . Furthermore, 24 OTUs had cultured type strains representatives which should be subjected to genome sequence with a high degree of priority. Strikingly, 52 of these 66 OTUs were detected in at least three out of four recently published human faecal microbiota data sets, obtained with very different experimental procedures. A statistical model confirmed these OTUs prevalence. Despite the species richness and a high individual specificity, a limited number of OTUs is shared among individuals and might represent the phylogenetic core of the human intestinal microbiota. Its role in human health deserves further study.     

Comparative analysis of Korean human gut microbiota by barcoded pyrosequencing

Human gut microbiota plays important roles in harvesting energy from the diet, stimulating the proliferation of the intestinal epithelium, developing the immune system, and regulating fat storage in the host. Characterization of gut microbiota, however, has been limited to western people and is not sufficiently extensive to fully describe microbial communities. In this study, we investigated the overall composition of the gut microbiota and its host specificity and temporal stability in 20 Koreans using 454-pyrosequencing with barcoded primers targeting the V1 to V3 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. A total of 303,402 high quality reads covered each sample and 8,427 reads were analyzed on average. The results were compared with those of individuals from the USA, China and Japan. In general, microbial communities were dominated by five previously identified phyla: Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria. UPGMA cluster analysis showed that the species composition of gut microbiota was host-specific and stable over the duration of the test period, but the relative abundance of each member fluctuated. 43 core Korean gut microbiota were identified by comparison of sequences from each individual, of which 15 species level phylotypes were related to previously-reported butyrate-producing bacteria. UniFrac analysis revealed that human gut microbiota differed between countries: Korea, USA, Japan and China, but tended to vary less between individual Koreans, suggesting that gut microbial composition is related to internal and external characteristics of each country member such as host genetics and diet styles.     

Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria associated with the mucus of Red Sea corals

Coral reefs are the most biodiverse and biologically productive of all marine ecosystems. Corals harbor diverse and abundant prokaryotic communities. However, little is known about the diversity of coral-associated bacterial communities. Mucus is a characteristic product of all corals, forming a coating over their polyps. The coral mucus is a rich substrate for microorganisms. Mucus was collected with a procedure using sterile cotton swabs that minimized contamination of the coral mucus by surrounding seawater. We used molecular techniques to characterize and compare the bacterial assemblages associated with the mucus of the solitary coral Fungia scutaria and the massive coral Platygyra lamellina from the Gulf of Eilat, northern Red Sea. The bacterial communities of the corals F. scutaria and P. lamellina were found to be diverse, with representatives within the Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria and Epsilonproteobacteria, as well as the Actinobacteria, Cytophaga-Flavobacter/Flexibacter-Bacteroides group, Firmicutes, Planctomyces, and several unclassified bacteria. However, the total bacterial assemblage of these two corals was different. In contrast to the bacterial communities of corals analyzed in previous studies by culture-based and culture-independent approaches, we found that the bacterial clone libraries of the coral species included a substantial proportion of Actinobacteria. The current study further supports the finding that bacterial communities of coral mucus are diverse.     

Fecal microbiota and diets of muskox female adults and calves

In mammals, the gut microbiome is vertically transmitted during maternal lactation at birth. In this study, we investigated the gut microbiome and diets of muskox, a large herbivore inhabiting in the high Arctic. We compared the microbiota composition using bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and diets using stable isotope analysis of muskox feces of six female adults and four calves on Ella Island, East Greenland. Firmicutes were the most abundant bacterial phylum in both the adults and calves, comprising 94.36% and 94.03%, respectively. Significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of the two Firmicutes families. The adults were primarily dominated by Ruminococcaceae (73.90%), and the calves were dominated by both Ruminococcaceae (56.25%) and Lachnospiraceae (24.00%). Stable isotope analysis of the feces in the study area revealed that both adults and calves had similar ranges of ¹³C and ¹⁵N, likely derived from the dominant diet plants. Despite their similar diets, the different gut microbiome compositions in muskox adults and calves indicate that the gut microbiome of the calves may not be fully colonized to the extent of that of the adults.     

Host and environmental influences on the gut bacterial community of carabid beetles in distinct paddy fields

The relationship between the gut bacterial communities of carabid beetles and their habitats holds implications for understanding ecological dynamics. This study examined the gut bacterial communities of two carabid beetle species, Chlaenius pallipes and Pheropsophus jessoensis, in terraced and flat paddy fields. Differences in gut bacterial communities were evident at the species level and were based on habitat. Specifically, P. jessoensis had a greater presence of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in terraced fields but more Actinobacteria in flatland fields. In comparison, C. pallipes consistently showed high levels of Firmicutes in both habitats. These differences were reflected at class and genus levels, emphasizing the role of host specificity in shaping gut microbiota. Alpha diversity metrics indicated that P. jessoensis hosted a more diverse bacterial community than C. pallipes. Terraced fields, however, showed slightly reduced diversity in P. jessoensis, suggesting environmental effects on microbial populations. Beta diversity analysis using Bray–Curtis distances differentiated the bacterial communities of the two beetles. Multivariate analysis of variance reinforced these findings. Insights from the Sloan neutral model indicate that environmental factors predominantly influence bacterial community assembly through stochastic processes. Functionally, metabolism was highlighted, indicating the role of gut bacteria in beetle metabolic processes. Notably, energy metabolism varied between field types, revealing environmental effects on gut bacterial functions. This study offers in-depth insights into interactions between host-specific and environmental factors influencing gut bacterial communities of carabid beetles, contributing to a broader understanding of microbial ecology and the roles of environment and host in microbiota dynamics.     

Hibernation alters the diversity and composition of mucosa‐associated bacteria while enhancing antimicrobial defence in the gut of 13‐lined ground squirrels

The gut microbiota plays important roles in animal nutrition and health. This relationship is particularly dynamic in hibernating mammals where fasting drives the gut community to rely on host‐derived nutrients instead of exogenous substrates. We used 16S rRNA pyrosequencing and caecal tissue protein analysis to investigate the effects of hibernation on the mucosa‐associated bacterial microbiota and host responses in 13‐lined ground squirrels. The mucosal microbiota was less diverse in winter hibernators than in actively feeding spring and summer squirrels. UniFrac analysis revealed distinct summer and late winter microbiota clusters, while spring and early winter clusters overlapped slightly, consistent with their transitional structures. Communities in all seasons were dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, with lesser contributions from Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Tenericutes and Actinobacteria. Hibernators had lower relative abundances of Firmicutes, which include genera that prefer plant polysaccharides, and higher abundances of Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, some of which can survive solely on host‐derived mucins. A core mucosal assemblage of nine operational taxonomic units shared among all individuals was identified with an average total sequence abundance of 60.2%. This core community, together with moderate shifts in specific taxa, indicates that the mucosal microbiota remains relatively stable over the annual cycle yet responds to substrate changes while potentially serving as a pool for ‘seeding’ the microbiota once exogenous substrates return in spring. Relative to summer, hibernation reduced caecal crypt length and increased MUC2 expression in early winter and spring. Hibernation also decreased caecal TLR4 and increased TLR5 expression, suggesting a protective response that minimizes inflammation.     

Midgut Microbial Community of Culex quinquefasciatus Mosquito Populations from India

The mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus is a ubiquitous species that serves as a major vector for west nile virus and lymphatic filariasis. Ingestion of bloodmeal by females triggers a series of physiological processes in the midgut and also exposes them to infection by these pathogens. The bacteria normally harbored in the midgut are known to influence physiology and can also alter the response to various pathogens. The midgut bacteria in female Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes collected over a large geographical area from India was studied. Examination of 16S ribosomal DNA amplicons from culturable microflora revealed the presence of 83 bacterial species belonging to 31 bacterial genera. All of these species belong to three phyla i.e. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. Phylum Proteobacteria was the most dominant phylum (37 species), followed by Firmicutes (33 species) and Actinobacteria (13 species). Phylum Proteobacteria, was dominated by members of γ-proteobacteria class. The genus Staphylococcus was the largest genus represented by 11 species whereas Enterobacter was the most prevalent genus and recovered from all the field stations except Leh. Highest bacterial prevalence was observed from Bhuj (22 species) followed by Nagrota (18 species), Masimpur (18 species) and Hathigarh (16 species). Whereas, least species were observed from Leh (8 species). It has been observed that individual mosquito harbor extremely diverse gut bacteria and have very small overlap bacterial taxa in their gut. This variation in midgut microbiota may be one of the factors responsible for variation in disease transmission rates or vector competence within mosquito population. The present data strongly encourage further investigations to verify the potential role of the detected bacteria in mosquito for the transmission of lymphatic filariasis and west nile virus. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study on midgut microbiota of wild Cx. quinquefasciatus from over a large geographical area.     

Phylogenetic and physiological characterization of organic waste-degrading bacterial communities

One of the greatest challenges in contemporary society is to reduce and treat household solid waste. The choice of inoculum to be used for start-up in reactors that degrade organic waste is critical to the success of organic waste treatment. In this study, the functional diversity, phylogenetic identification, and biogas production of bacterial communities from six inoculum sources were investigated. We used BIOLOG EcoPlates to evaluate the metabolic abilities of the bacterial communities, followed 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis to determine the phylogenetic affiliation of the bacteria responsible for carbon consumption. We observed great diversity in the physiological profiles. Of the six inocula tested, the sludge from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (SRU) contained the most diverse, metabolically versatile microbiota and was characterized by the highest level of biogas production. By contrast, the sludge of the anaerobic lagoon (SAL) showed the worst performance in BIOLOG EcoPlates assays, but it exhibited the most diversity and generated the second largest amount of biogas. The bacterial isolates retrieved from BIOLOG EcoPlates were characterized as aerobic and/or facultative anaerobic, and were mainly Gram-negative. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates belonged to three major phyla: Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, represented by 33 genera. Proteobacteria exhibited the most diversity. The distribution of the bacterial genera differed considerably among the six inocula. Pseudomonas and Bacillus, which are able to degrade a wide range of proteins and carbohydrates, predominated in five of the six inocula. Analysis of the bacterial communities in this study indicates that both SRU and SAL microbiota are candidates for start-up inocula in anaerobic reactors. These start-up inocula must be studied further in order to identify their practical applications in degrading organic waste.     

Microbial diversity from the continental shelf regions of the Eastern Arabian Sea: A metagenomic approach

The marine microbiome is a complex and least-understood habitat, which play a significant role in global biogeochemical cycles. The present study reported the culture-independent assessment of microbial diversity from the Arabian Sea (AS) sediments (from Gujarat to Malabar; at 30 m depth) by using metagenome sequence analysis. Our results elucidated that bacterial communities in the Malabar coastal region are highly diverse than the Gujarat coast. Moreover, Statistical analysis (Spearman rank correlation) showed a significant correlation co-efficient value (r = P < 0.001) between microbial communities and physicochemical parameters (salinity and dissolved oxygen) in the water column. A total of 39 bacterial phyla were recorded from the eastern side of AS, of which six phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes were found to be the most dominant group. The most dominant genus from Valapad region (Malabar Coast) was found to be Halomonas sp., while other regions were dominated with Psychrobacter pulmonis. The subsequent Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) showed 99.53% variance, which suggests that, highly distinct microbial communities at Valapad (Malabar Coast) sampling location than other sites. Moreover, the microbial metabolic activity analysis revealed the important functions of microbial communities in the AS are hydrocarbon degradation, polymer degradation, nutrient oxidation and sulphate reduction (biodegradation process). Further extended studies are needed to be carried out for better understanding the functional diversity of microbial communities from the marine sediments.     

Bacterial interspecies quorum sensing in the mammalian gut microbiota

The mammalian gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse and complex resident bacterial community, which interacts with the host in many beneficial processes required for optimal host health. We are studying the importance of bacterial cell-cell communication mediated by the interspecies quorum-sensing signal autoinducer-2 (AI-2) in the beneficial properties of the gut microbiota. Our recent work provided the first evidence that AI-2 produced by Escherichia coli can influence the species composition of this community in the mouse gut. We showed that, under conditions of microbiota imbalances induced by antibiotic treatments, E. coli, which increases intestinal AI-2 levels, not only had an effect on the overall structure of the microbiota community, but specifically favored the expansion of the Firmicutes phylum. Because the Firmicutes are very important for many gut functions and were the group of bacteria most severely affected by antibiotic treatment with streptomycin, we are addressing the possibility that AI-2 can influence the balance of the major bacterial groups in the gut and promote recovery of gut homeostasis. Overall, we want to understand how bacterial chemical signaling shapes the multi-species bacterial communities in the mammalian gut and how these communities affect host physiology.