GEOapplication/xmlftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/series/GSE329nnn/GSE329359/primaryOK200TranscriptomicsMus musculusExpression profiling by high throughput sequencinghttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE329359GEOGSEfalseSingle cell RNA sequencing of gp33 tetramer-positive CD8 T cells sorted from the SI-LP and spleen of germ-free and SPF mice 16 days after LCMV Docile infection [scRNA-Seq 10x]Prolonged antigen exposure in chronic viral infections reduces the effector capacity of cytotoxic T cells - a phenomenon known as T cell exhaustion. Development of T cell exhaustion is driven by high viral titers, strong TCR stimulation, and high antigen concentrations associated with strong inflammatory signals. A largely unexplored factor has been the influence of the microbiome in these processes. Here, we report that T cell exhaustion progresses independently of the presence or absence of a microbiome in chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infections. Virus-specific CD8 T cells in germ-free mice showed high expression of the inhibitory receptor PD-1 and decreased cytokine production. Moreover, their global gene expression patterns, as determined by single-cell sequencing, were similar to those of cells in specific pathogen-free mice. In line with this, we observed similar pathogen loads with and without a microbiome. Thus, our study demonstrates that the microbiome is dispensable for the induction of T cell exhaustion and for the limited virus control seen in chronic LCMV infections.2026/04/29GSE329359GSM9702476GSM9702477GSM9702474GSM9702475GSM9702478GSM9702479GSM9702480GSM9702483GSM9702472GSM9702473GSM9702481GSM970248224247329359Mus musculus