Uncovering effects of antibiotics on the host and microbiota using transkingdom gene networks.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Despite widespread use of antibiotics for the treatment of life-threatening infections and for research on the role of commensal microbiota, our understanding of their effects on the host is still very limited.

Design

Using a popular mouse model of microbiota depletion by a cocktail of antibiotics, we analysed the effects of antibiotics by combining intestinal transcriptome together with metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiota. In order to identify specific microbes and microbial genes that influence the host phenotype in antibiotic-treated mice, we developed and applied analysis of the transkingdom network.

Results

We found that most antibiotic-induced alterations in the gut can be explained by three factors: depletion of the microbiota; direct effects o

SUBMITTER: Morgun A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5166700 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature