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Individual diet has sex-dependent effects on vertebrate gut microbiota

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel I. Bolnick

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Lisa K. Snowberg

    (University of Texas at Austin, One University Station C0990, Austin, Texas 78712, USA)

  • Philipp E. Hirsch

    (Uppsala University
    Program Man-Society-Environment, University of Basel)

  • Christian L. Lauber

    (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado)

  • Elin Org

    (University of California)

  • Brian Parks

    (University of California)

  • Aldons J. Lusis

    (University of California)

  • Rob Knight

    (University of Colorado)

  • J. Gregory Caporaso

    (Northern Arizona University
    Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, Argonne National Laboratory)

  • Richard Svanbäck

    (Uppsala University)

Abstract

Vertebrates harbour diverse communities of symbiotic gut microbes. Host diet is known to alter microbiota composition, implying that dietary treatments might alleviate diseases arising from altered microbial composition (‘dysbiosis’). However, it remains unclear whether diet effects are general or depend on host genotype. Here we show that gut microbiota composition depends on interactions between host diet and sex within populations of wild and laboratory fish, laboratory mice and humans. Within each of two natural fish populations (threespine stickleback and Eurasian perch), among-individual diet variation is correlated with individual differences in gut microbiota. However, these diet–microbiota associations are sex dependent. We document similar sex-specific diet–microbiota correlations in humans. Experimental diet manipulations in laboratory stickleback and mice confirmed that diet affects microbiota differently in males versus females. The prevalence of such genotype by environment (sex by diet) interactions implies that therapies to treat dysbiosis might have sex-specific effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel I. Bolnick & Lisa K. Snowberg & Philipp E. Hirsch & Christian L. Lauber & Elin Org & Brian Parks & Aldons J. Lusis & Rob Knight & J. Gregory Caporaso & Richard Svanbäck, 2014. "Individual diet has sex-dependent effects on vertebrate gut microbiota," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms5500
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5500
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    Cited by:

    1. Elisa Scarsella & Bruno Stefanon & Michela Cintio & Danilo Licastro & Sandy Sgorlon & Simeone Dal Monego & Misa Sandri, 2020. "Learning machine approach reveals microbial signatures of diet and sex in dog," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, August.

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