Nutrition-induced changes in the microbiota can cause dysbiosis and disease development.

ABSTRACT: Eukaryotic organisms are associated with complex microbial communities. Changes within these communities have been implicated in disease development. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether these changes are a cause or a consequence of disease. Here, we report a causal link between environment-induced shifts in the microbiota and disease development. Using the model organism Hydra, we observed changes in microbial composition when transferring laboratory-grown Hydra to natural lake environments. These shifts were caused not only by new colonizers, through the process of community coalescence (merging of previously separate microbial communities), but also by lake water nutrients. Moreover, selective manipulation of the nutrient environment induced compound-specific shifts in

SUBMITTER: Lachnit T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11980362 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature