Complexity of the gut microbiome: a quantitative and experimental approach
Abstract
From the smallest invertebrates to the largest mammals, gastrointestinal tracts and their microbiomes have evolved over millions of years in terms of size, structure, and complexity. Despite intensive efforts to sample the guts of animals across the tree of life, the underlying mechanisms controlling diversity, metabolism, and stability of microbiomes remain unresolved. The overarching objective of our proposal is to advance the science of microbiomes using our recently developed theoretical framework, where energetic trade-offs, trait-syndromes, and microbiome structure emerge via interactions between resources (i.e., nutrition) and physical complexity of the gastrointestinal tract. To test our predictions, we have designed and manufactured a platform of 3D-printed gut bioreactors. Using computer-aided design (CAD), we can manipulate the length, volume, and diameter of the bioreactors in a scale-accurate manner while encoding gut features such as villi, folds, and crypts. The tight integration between our mathematical modelling and the novel experimental platform will provide first-principles insight into factors governing the structure and function of gut microbiomes, which is critical for understanding host nutrition and fitness. Products from our research will include an advanced body of microbiome theory, the development of open-source eco-evolutionary modeling software, and the construction of novel host-microbe inspired bioreactors to date. In addition, by leveraging the force of natural selection, we aim to evolve strains of gut bacteria with nutritionally optimized probiotic potential. Our findings will transcend biological and engineering disciplines, connect general microbiome theory to the health of macro-organisms, and provide insight into the functioning and stability of host-associated ecosystems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 03, 2022
- Source ID
- W911NF2210014
Entities
People
- Jay T. Lennon
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Indiana University
- United States Army