Metagenomic profiling of fecal microbiota in aging mice across different age groups
This project characterizes gut microbial changes during aging using shotgun metagenomic sequencing of mouse feces. Fecal samples are collected from male C57BL/6J mice at four ages: 12, 18, 24, and 28 months. Whole-genome shotgun sequencing is performed to obtain high-resolution taxonomic profiles (species and strains) and functional gene abundances (e.g., metabolic pathways, short-chain fatty acid synthesis, inflammation-related genes). Analysis includes alpha/beta diversity, differential species/genes across age groups, and correlation with host aging markers. The dataset provides a metagenomic landscape of late-stage aging, enabling identification of microbial and functional biomarkers for age-related decline.