Cited by 273Gut microbiota and healthCircadian rhythm and melatoninAnimal Nutrition and Physiology

The Mouse Microbiome Is Required for Sex-Specific Diurnal Rhythms of Gene Expression and Metabolism

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Weger, Benjamin D., Gobet, Cédric, Yeung, Jake, Martin, Eva, Jimenez, Sonia, Betrisey, Bertrand, Foata, Francis, Berger, Bernard +7 more·2019·Cell Metabolism

Abstract

The circadian clock and associated feeding rhythms have a profound impact on metabolism and the gut microbiome. To what extent microbiota reciprocally affect daily rhythms of physiology in the host remains elusive. Here, we analyzed transcriptome and metabolome profiles of male and female germ-free mice. While mRNA expression of circadian clock genes revealed subtle changes in liver, intestine, and white adipose tissue, germ-free mice showed considerably altered expression of genes associated with rhythmic physiology. Strikingly, the absence of the microbiome attenuated liver sexual dimorphism and sex-specific rhythmicity. The resulting feminization of male and masculinization of female germ-free animals is likely caused by altered sexual development and growth hormone secretion, associated with differential activation of xenobiotic receptors. This defines a novel mechanism by which the microbiome regulates host metabolism.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cmet.2018.09.023

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  • Lacking exposure to microorganisms since birth, GF animals provide insights into how the microbiota is integral in shaping the behavior, physiology, and neurobiology of its host.

    “Lacking exposure to microorganisms since birth, GF animals provide insights into how the microbiota is integral in shaping the behavior, physiology, and neurobiology of its host (Weger et al., 2019).”

    From The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (2019) · cites this paper as Weger et al., 2019

    The Results section on rhythmic gene expression and metabolome (page not supplied) reports altered locomotor activity in germ-free female mice, supporting the behavioral part. The Introduction and Results also describe microbiota-related changes in metabolism, gene expression, and sexual maturation, supporting the physiological part. The paper does not establish the claim about host neurobiology, and its findings concern mice rather than GF animals generally. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Kieser S. Sarker S.A. Sakwinska O. Foata F. Sultana S. Khan Z. Islam S. Porta N. Combremont S. Betrisey B. Bangladeshi children with acute diarrhea show fecal microbiomes with increased Streptococcus abundance, irrespective of diarrhea etiology Environ. Microbiol. 2018 29786169

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Authors
Weger, B. D., Gobet, C., Yeung, J., Martin, E., Jimenez, S., Betrisey, B., Foata, F., Berger, B., Balvay, A., Foussier, A., Charpagne, A., Boizet-Bonhoure, B., Chou, C. J., Naef, F., & Gachon, F.
Affiliations
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CH)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
  • Nestlé (Switzerland) (CH)
  • AgroParisTech (FR)
Corresponding author
Gachon, Frédéric
Venue
Cell Metabolism
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-02
Volume
29
Issue
2
Pages
362-382.e8
ISSN
1550-4131 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2897926834
Cited by
269
References
193
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 32 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
FWCI
10.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Metabolism (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • European Research Council (ERC-2010-StG-260988)
  • Swiss National Science Foundation (310030_173079)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Nutrition and Physiology
Keywords
gut microbiota, circadian clock, sex differences, germ-free mice, growth hormone secretion, xenobiotic receptors, sexual development, metabolism, transcriptome, metabolome
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Animals, Circadian Rhythm, Female, Intestines, Liver, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Sex Characteristics, Mice, Adipose Tissue, White, Ghrelin, Circadian Clocks, Transcriptome

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