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Published on: February 28, 2018
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Primate gut microbiota induce evolutionarily salient changes in mouse neurodevelopment
Alex R DeCasien1,2,3,4, Jacob E Aronoff5,6, Elizabeth K Mallott6,7
1Computational and Evolutionary Neurogenomics Unit, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Summary
The gut microbiota may have supported primate brain evolution. Different primate gut microbes influenced mouse brain gene expression, particularly affecting energy metabolism and potentially neurodevelopmental pathways in large-brained species.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Neuroscience
- Microbiology
Background:
- Primate brains are exceptionally large relative to body size, coevolving with metabolic adaptations for increased cerebral energy supply.
- The gut microbiota (GM) influences host metabolism, but its role in primate brain evolution is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential role of gut microbiota composition in primate brain evolution.
- To determine if primate gut microbes influence host brain gene expression and metabolism.
Main Methods:
- Germ-free mice were inoculated with gut microbiota from humans (large-brained), macaques (smaller-brained), and squirrel monkeys (large-brained).
- Brain gene expression and metabolic pathways were analyzed in the inoculated mice.
Main Results:
- Differences in mouse brain gene expression mirrored those between actual primate brains based on GM origin.
- Gut microbiota from large-brained primates (humans and squirrel monkeys) upregulated genes related to energy production.
- Human GM specifically enhanced oxidative phosphorylation gene expression and glucose metabolism pathways, while downregulating genes linked to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Conclusions:
- Species-specific gut microbiota composition can influence host brain metabolism.
- The gut microbiota may have played a supportive role in primate brain evolution (encephalization).
- Further research is needed due to the preliminary nature of these findings.
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