Environmental Microbial Cues Alter Embryonic Development and Stress Responses in Vertebrates: Insights From the Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Model.

ABSTRACT: Host-microbiome interactions shape key physiological processes, including bioenergetics, neurodevelopment and xenobiotic metabolism, and strongly influence the ecological fitness of the host. However, our understanding of host-microbiome interactions is primarily derived from post-embryonic free-living life stages, when the organism is in direct contact with microbes. Whether environmental microbial communities influence embryogenesis-particularly in oviparous organisms where embryos are encased in a protective chorion-remains unknown. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos reared germ-free or conventionalized with a defined microbial community at 6 and 24 h post-fertilisation, we demonstrate that environmental microbiota influence embryonic development prior to hatching, altering transcrip

SUBMITTER: Green EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12717968 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature