16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of mice

Food allergy induced autism-like behavior has been increasing for decades, but the causal drivers of this association are unclear. We sought to test the role of associated changes in gut microbiota and mTOR signaling on CMA mice exhibited a specific microbiota signature characterized by coordinate changes in the abundance of taxa of several bacterial genus, including the Lactobacillus, Clostridium_XIVa. Interestingly, the changes were accompanied by promoted mTOR signaling in the brain of CMA mice. Overall, these results provide evidence that disease-associated microbiota activate mTOR signaling, which may be a pathogenic role in the psychiatric ASD-like symptoms seen in CMA associated autism.