Virus-induced perturbations in the mouse microbiome are impacted by microbial experience

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Immunology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• The gut microbiome significantly influences host health, metabolism, and immune responses.
• Standard pathogen-free mouse models lack the microbiome diversity seen in humans, limiting their translational value.
• Understanding microbiome variability and infection's impact is crucial for disease biomarker discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how host variability and infection interact to alter the gut microbiome.
• To compare microbiome changes in conventionally housed "dirty" mice versus pathogen-free mice.
• To assess the impact of influenza A virus infection on diverse microbiomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cohoused "dirty" mice from pet stores with varied microbial histories.
• Analyzed bacterial diversity and composition in small intestine, cecum, and large intestine.
• Infected mice with influenza A virus and analyzed microbiome shifts based on housing and infection status.

Main Results:

• Cohoused mice exhibited higher bacterial diversity in the small intestine and cecum.
• Significant differences in bacterial taxa abundance were observed between "clean" and "dirty" mice across all tissues.
• Post-influenza infection, microbiome composition clustered by housing and infection in the cecum and large intestine, and predominantly by infection in the small intestine.

Conclusions:

• Housing conditions and influenza A virus infection differentially impact gut microbiome composition.
• The interaction between housing and infection plays a key role in shaping the gastrointestinal microbiome.
• Pet store "dirty" mice provide a more relevant model for studying microbiome dynamics in health and disease.