BETA LACTAM ANTIBIOTICS AND HUMAN GUT MICROBIOTA
Disturbance of the gut microbiota during antibiotic stress (therapy): a                 multi-omic approach
Recent research has disclosed a tight connection between beta-lactam                 antibiotics, microbial gut metabolism and health but obtaining a complete                 understanding of this process remains a major goal. Here, we conducted, to the best                 of our knowledge, the first global comparative OMIC investigation of gut microbial                 communities in samples of an individual subjected to ß-lactam antibiotic therapy at                 different time frames. Results indicated a drastic change of the total community at                 response to AB at the day 11thwhich correlated with changes at the level of                 metabolites, mRNA transcripts and production of proteins. By contrast, AB-resistant                 active microbiota remains constant, showing a relevant decrease three days later,                 which indicate an AB time-delay between total and active bacteria. Forty days after                 AB therapy, the total community is restored but, surprisingly, the low abundant                 bacteria (Proteobacteria) become the most active members. This is in agreement with                 unique metabolomic signatures which indicate that human-gut microbe interactions                 seem to be restored (or improved) as a consequence of AB therapy. It is worth to                 mention that as a consequence of AB a drastic under-expression of protein production                 and an attenuation of the metabolic status occurred irreversibly, in agreement with                 the biodiversity and richness decreased of the total microbiota. Most likely, at the                 initial stages, AB-resistant bacteria may become, albeit at lower numbers, the most                 active bacterial members, but their consequent instability as response to AB therapy                 produced a re-establishment of the overall community containing new active members                 that has a connection with the host. A complete reprogramming of the bacterial                 structure and metabolic status seems to occur most likely at day 11th. Taken                 together, this study suggests a tighter, more coordinated and complex evolutionary                 and AB ecology scenario of human gut microbial communities than has been previously                 assumed.
Recent research has disclosed a tight connection between beta-lactam                 antibiotics, microbial gut metabolism and health but obtaining a complete                 understanding of this process remains a major goal. Here, we conducted, to the best                 of our knowledge, the first global comparative OMIC investigation of gut microbial                 communities in samples of an individual subjected to ß-lactam antibiotic therapy at                 different time frames. Results indicated a drastic change of the total community at                 response to AB at the day 11thwhich correlated with changes at the level of                 metabolites, mRNA transcripts and production of proteins. By contrast, AB-resistant                 active microbiota remains constant, showing a relevant decrease three days later,                 which indicate an AB time-delay between total and active bacteria. Forty days after                 AB therapy, the total community is restored but, surprisingly, the low abundant                 bacteria (Proteobacteria) become the most active members. This is in agreement with                 unique metabolomic signatures which indicate that human-gut microbe interactions                 seem to be restored (or improved) as a consequence of AB therapy. It is worth to                 mention that as a consequence of AB a drastic under-expression of protein production                 and an attenuation of the metabolic status occurred irreversibly, in agreement with                 the biodiversity and richness decreased of the total microbiota. Most likely, at the                 initial stages, AB-resistant bacteria may become, albeit at lower numbers, the most                 active bacterial members, but their consequent instability as response to AB therapy                 produced a re-establishment of the overall community containing new active members                 that has a connection with the host. A complete reprogramming of the bacterial                 structure and metabolic status seems to occur most likely at day 11th. Taken                 together, this study suggests a tighter, more coordinated and complex evolutionary                 and AB ecology scenario of human gut microbial communities than has been previously                 assumed.