Infection-elicited microbiota promotes host adaptation to nutrient restriction.

ABSTRACT: The microbiota performs multiple functions vital to host fitness, including defense against pathogens and adaptation to dietary changes. Yet, how environmental challenges shape microbiota resilience to nutrient fluctuation remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that transient gut infection can optimize host metabolism toward the usage of carbohydrates. Following acute infection and clearance of the pathogen, mice gained more weight as a result of white adipose tissue expansion. Concomitantly, previously infected mice exhibited enhanced carbohydrate (glucose) disposal and insulin sensitivity. This metabolic remodeling depended on alterations to the gut microbiota, with infection-elicited Betaproteobacteria being sufficient to enhance host carbohydrate metabolism. Further, infectio

SUBMITTER: De Siqueira MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9942920 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature