Distinct N and C cross-feeding networks in a synthetic mouse gut consortium
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ABSTRACT: The complex interactions between gut microbiome and host or pathogen colonization resistance cannot solely be understood from community composition. Missing are causal relationships such as metabolic interactions among species to better understand what shapes the microbiome. Here, we focused on metabolic niches generated and occupied by the Oligo-Mouse-Microbiota, a synthetic community composed of 12 members that is increasingly used as a model for the mouse gut microbiome. Combining mono-cultures and spent medium experiments with untargeted metabolomics uncovered broad metabolic diversity in the consortium, constituting a dense cross-feeding network with more than 100 pairwise interactions. Quantitative analysis of the cross-feeding network revealed distinct C and N food webs that highlight the two Bacteroidetes consortium members B. caecimuris and M. intestinale as primary suppliers of carbon, and a more diverse group as nitrogen providers. Cross-fed metabolites were mainly carboxylic acids, amino acids, and the so far not reported nucleobases. In particular the dicarboxylic acids malate and fumarate provided a strong physiological benefit to consumers, presumably as anaerobic electron acceptors. Isotopic tracing validated the fate of a subset of cross-fed metabolites, in particular validating conversion of the most abundant cross-fed compound succinate to butyrate. Thus, we show that the OMM community is tailored to produce the anti-inflammatory metabolite butyrate. Overall, we provide evidence for metabolic niches generated and occupied by OMM members that lays a metabolic foundation to facilitate understanding of the more complex in vivo behavior of the OMM consortium in the mouse gut.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus (mouse)
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PROVIDER: S-BSST686 | biostudies-other |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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