Defined polymicrobial exposure promotes systemic immune maturation and enhances translational fidelity in laboratory mice
Specific pathogen-free laboratory mice exhibit limited immune maturation because of restricted microbial exposure. In this study, we used an iterative screening strategy to identify a defined consortium of enteric microbes that promotes systemic immune maturation in laboratory mice. We characterized microbial community composition by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and examined host transcriptional responses by RNA sequencing. These datasets were generated to determine how defined polymicrobial exposure alters host-associated microbial communities, systemic immune status, and responses in translational disease models.