Influence of lytic phages on a defined gut microbiota in mouse models

The human gut microbiome is comprised of densely colonizing micro-organisms including bacteriophages, that are in dynamic interaction with each other and the mammalian host. While the bacterial component of the microbiome is under intense investigation, far less is known aboutTo address how bacteriophages impact bacterial communities in the gut. , wWe investigated the dynamic effects of phages on a model microbiome. using gGnotobiotic mice were colonized by with defined human gut commensal bacteria that colonize the human gut and subject to cognate phage predation by cognate lytic phages. , andWe found that phage predation not only directly impacts susceptible bacteria but also leads to cascading effects on other bacterial species via inter-bacterial interactions. Metabolomic profiling revealed that shifts in the microbiome caused by phage predation have has a direct consequence on the gut metabolome. Our work provides insight into the ecological importance of phages as modulators of bacterial colonization, and additionally suggests the potential impact of gut phages on the mammalian host with implications for their therapeutic use to precisely modulate the microbiome.