Effect of high-oleic safflower oil diet on mouse gut microbiota and Candida albicans colonization

This study investigates the effects of high-oleic safflower oil diet on (1) the bacterial microbiome in the murine gut and (2) the ability of the fungus Candida albicans to establish intestinal colonization. To assess bacterial communities, we performed 16S rRNA sequencing (V3-V4 with oligos 341F and 806R) in DNA samples prepared from frozen fecal pellets. Female Swiss Webster mice (Taconic) at 5-8 weeks of age were used. ZymoBiomics DNA Microprep Kit (Zymo Research) was used to prepare DNA. Fresh fecal pellets were collected from 2 groups of 12 mice each at 3 different time points (total 72 samples): At the first time point, mice had been fed regular chow. The second time point was 7 days after switching from regular chow to defined diets (AIN-93G or isocaloric high-oleic safflower oil diet). All mice were gavaged with C. albicans (1x10^7 cells) one day after the second fecal collection. The third time point was 10 days after gavage.