Comparative Metagenomic Analysis of Bacteriophages in Common Gnotobiotic Mouse Models

Phages play a key role as drivers for microbial community structure and function. On one hand, they control the abundance of bacterial taxa and contribute to the stability of microbial communities after a disturbance event (killing the winner) and on the other hand, they are important vectors for horizontal gene transfer and adaptation of microbiota to shifts in the environment. The link between bacterial diversity and the diversity of phages in the human gut however is not well studied, We propose that reduced bacteria diversity is associated with a reduction of lytic and prophages diversity, therefore also limiting the potential for horizontal gene transfer between bacteria.