Microbiome and Transcriptional Changes associated with Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Mice

This study investigated the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on microbial community composition and host gene transcription in a mouse model of antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. FMT is an effective treatment for disorders such as Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), and better understanding of the mechanisms through which it is protective is critical. Mice were treated with an antibiotic cocktail and then administered either FMT or PBS as a control. In independent experiments, mice were sacrificed at either Day 2 or Day 7 post-FMT. DNA was extracted from cecal contents and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to evaluate the intestinal microbiome at these timepoints. Cecal tissue was also extracted and RNA isolated for bulk RNA sequencing at these timepoints.