Metagenomic sequencing of cigarette smoke-exposed mouse gut microbiome

To determine the role of the microbiome in the development of COPD, laboratory mice were exposed either to cigarette smoke or to faecal pellets from cigarette smoke exposed mice. In parallel, cigarette smoke exposed mice were treated with faecal pellets from non-smoke-exposed mice to determine whether any restorative effect was evident. Faecal samples were collected across 8 or 12 weeks.