Bacterial guilds, not genus-level taxa, mediate the protective effects of time-restricted feeding against high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota functions as a complex adaptive system where microbes form structural modules known as "guilds." Each guild comprises taxonomically distinct microbes that work together as cohesive functional units, contributing to overall system function. Traditional taxon-based microbiome analyses often yield inconsistent associations with disease, limiting mechanistic insights. To address this, we compared guild-based and taxon-based approaches using datasets from a time-restricted feeding (TRF) study in mice. C57BL/6 J male mice were assigned to ad libitum feeding or TRF groups, with metabolic parameters and gut microbiota composition assessed over 12 weeks. Isocaloric TRF improved glucose tolerance and reduced weight gain in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice while maintaining meta

SUBMITTER: Ghosh S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12515041 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature