Molecular analysis of commensal host-microbial relationships in the intestine.
Human beings contain complex societies of indigenous microbes, yet little is known about how resident bacteria shape our physiology. We colonized germ-free mice with Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a prominent component of the normal mouse and human intestinal microflora. Global intestinal transcriptional responses to colonization were observed with DNA microarrays, and the cellular origins of selected responses were established by laser-capture microdissection. The results reveal that this commensal bacterium modulates expression of genes involved in several important intestinal functions, including nutrient absorption, mucosal barrier fortification, xenobiotic metabolism, angiogenesis, and postnatal intestinal maturation. These findings provide perspectives about the essential nature of the interactions between resident microorganisms and their hosts.
Hooper
L V
LV
Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Wong
M H
MH
Thelin
A
A
Hansson
L
L
Falk
P G
PG
Gordon
J I
JI
D000818:Animals; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D055233:Cornified Envelope Proline-Rich Proteins; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000235:genetics; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009154:Mutation; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000378:metabolism
D055233:Cornified Envelope Proline-Rich Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; C101744:SPRR2A protein, human; C491091:Sprr2a1 protein, mouse; D015262:Xenobiotics