Alterations to the microbial communities that live in our gut are being linked to various diseases
But researchers are only beginning to understand these links Although mouse models have proven incredibly useful, they suffer from a major drawback
Laboratory mice have a persistent tendency to re-introduce microbes into their bodies when they ingest feces -- a behavior known as coprophagy
A new study shows that this habit can dramatically re-shape the upper gut microbiome and its function
Researchers fit mice with special “tail cups” to prevent coprophagy They then compared the microbiomes of these non-coprophagic mice with the microbiomes of standard (coprophagic) lab mice
The differences were striking
Compared with conventional, coprophagic mice, non-coprophagic mice showed patterns more similar to those found in the human small intestine including lower microbiota density fewer microbes intolerant to oxygen and a higher ratio of conjugated bile acids, which are important for digesting fats
These findings illustrate how coprophagy can have dramatic effects on the gut microbiome and suggest at least one way researchers can make microbiome studies more human-like