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Gnotobiotic zebrafish reveal evolutionarily conserved responses to the gut microbiota.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Rawls, JF; Samuel, BS; Gordon, JI
Published in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
March 30, 2004

Animals have developed the means for supporting complex and dynamic consortia of microorganisms during their life cycle. A transcendent view of vertebrate biology therefore requires an understanding of the contributions of these indigenous microbial communities to host development and adult physiology. These contributions are most obvious in the gut, where studies of gnotobiotic mice have disclosed that the microbiota affects a wide range of biological processes, including nutrient processing and absorption, development of the mucosal immune system, angiogenesis, and epithelial renewal. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) provides an opportunity to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions through genetic and chemical screens that take advantage of its transparency during larval and juvenile stages. Therefore, we developed methods for producing and rearing germ-free zebrafish through late juvenile stages. DNA microarray comparisons of gene expression in the digestive tracts of 6 days post fertilization germ-free, conventionalized, and conventionally raised zebrafish revealed 212 genes regulated by the microbiota, and 59 responses that are conserved in the mouse intestine, including those involved in stimulation of epithelial proliferation, promotion of nutrient metabolism, and innate immune responses. The microbial ecology of the digestive tracts of conventionally raised and conventionalized zebrafish was characterized by sequencing libraries of bacterial 16S rDNA amplicons. Colonization of germ-free zebrafish with individual members of its microbiota revealed the bacterial species specificity of selected host responses. Together, these studies establish gnotobiotic zebrafish as a useful model for dissecting the molecular foundations of host-microbial interactions in the vertebrate digestive tract.

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Published In

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

DOI

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

March 30, 2004

Volume

101

Issue

13

Start / End Page

4596 / 4601

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Zebrafish
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mammals
  • Intestines
  • Intestinal Mucosa
  • Germ-Free Life
  • Fisheries
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Digestive System
 

Citation

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Rawls, J. F., Samuel, B. S., & Gordon, J. I. (2004). Gnotobiotic zebrafish reveal evolutionarily conserved responses to the gut microbiota. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 101(13), 4596–4601. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0400706101
Rawls, John F., Buck S. Samuel, and Jeffrey I. Gordon. “Gnotobiotic zebrafish reveal evolutionarily conserved responses to the gut microbiota.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101, no. 13 (March 30, 2004): 4596–4601. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0400706101.
Rawls JF, Samuel BS, Gordon JI. Gnotobiotic zebrafish reveal evolutionarily conserved responses to the gut microbiota. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Mar 30;101(13):4596–601.
Rawls, John F., et al. “Gnotobiotic zebrafish reveal evolutionarily conserved responses to the gut microbiota.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, vol. 101, no. 13, Mar. 2004, pp. 4596–601. Pubmed, doi:10.1073/pnas.0400706101.
Rawls JF, Samuel BS, Gordon JI. Gnotobiotic zebrafish reveal evolutionarily conserved responses to the gut microbiota. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Mar 30;101(13):4596–4601.
Journal cover image

Published In

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

DOI

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

March 30, 2004

Volume

101

Issue

13

Start / End Page

4596 / 4601

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Zebrafish
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mammals
  • Intestines
  • Intestinal Mucosa
  • Germ-Free Life
  • Fisheries
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Digestive System