Characterization of reconstituted wild gut microbiome through genome assembly, 16S rRNA sequencing, and mobile element identification

Our study aim to interrogate interbacterial interactions in the WildR community, a native mammalian gut microbiome. We characterized the WildR microbiome using metagenomic sequencing, assembling genomes from isolates, and 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples from mice colonized with the WildR microbiome. We also identified the location of a mobile genetic element using a modified transposon sequencing approach. These data supported design of experiments to probe the role of an interbacterial antagonistic system, the type VI secretion system, on bacterial fitness in the murine gut.