Wild gut microbiota protects from disease

Abstract

Wild mice are genetically similar to laboratory mice, but have a distinct gut microbiota that protects from disease.

Figure 1

Wild mouse microbiota is dramatically different from laboratory mouse microbiota in both phylogeny and function. Pregnant germ-free mice were colonized with either laboratory mouse microbiota or wild mouse microbiota and their offspring were challenged with Influenza A Virus (IAV) or were subjected to colon cancer induction. Mice with wild mouse microbiota (WildR) were protected from IAV-induced mortality and had reduced tumor burden compared to mice with laboratory mouse microbiota (LabR).