Universität zu Köln

Dirksen, Philipp, Marsh, Sarah Arnaud, Braker, Ines, Heitland, Nele, Wagner, Sophia, Nakad, Rania, Mader, Sebastian, Petersen, Carola, Kowallik, Vienna ORCID: 0000-0003-1281-4987, Rosenstiel, Philip ORCID: 0000-0002-9692-8828, Felix, Marie-Anne and Schulenburg, Hinrich (2016). The native microbiome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: gateway to a new host-microbiome model. BMC Biol., 14. LONDON: BMC. ISSN 1741-7007

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Abstract

Background: Host-microbe associations underlie many key processes of host development, immunity, and life history. Yet, none of the current research on the central model species Caenorhabditis elegans considers the worm's natural microbiome. Instead, almost all laboratories exclusively use the canonical strain N2 and derived mutants, maintained through routine bleach sterilization in monoxenic cultures with an E. coli strain as food. Here, we characterize for the first time the native microbiome of C. elegans and assess its influence on nematode life history characteristics. Results: Nematodes sampled directly from their native habitats carry a species-rich bacterial community, dominated by Proteobacteria such as Enterobacteriaceae and members of the genera Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Ochrobactrum, and Sphingomonas. The C. elegans microbiome is distinct from that of the worm's natural environment and the congeneric species C. remanei. Exposure to a derived experimental microbiome revealed that bacterial composition is influenced by host developmental stage and genotype. These experiments also showed that the microbes enhance host fitness under standard and also stressful conditions (e.g., high temperature and either low or high osmolarity). Taking advantage of the nematode's transparency, we further demonstrate that several Proteobacteria are able to enter the C. elegans gut and that an Ochrobactrum isolate even seems to be able to persist in the intestines under stressful conditions. Moreover, three Pseudomonas isolates produce an anti-fungal effect in vitro which we show can contribute to the worm's defense against fungal pathogens in vivo. Conclusion: This first systematic analysis of the nematode's native microbiome reveals a species-rich bacterial community to be associated with C. elegans, which is likely of central importance for our understanding of the worm's biology. The information acquired and the microbial isolates now available for experimental work establishes C. elegans as a tractable model for the in-depth dissection of host-microbiome interactions.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Dirksen, Philipp UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Marsh, Sarah Arnaud UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Braker, Ines UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Heitland, Nele UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Wagner, Sophia UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Nakad, Rania UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mader, Sebastian UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Petersen, Carola UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Kowallik, Vienna UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0003-1281-4987 UNSPECIFIED Rosenstiel, Philip UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-9692-8828 UNSPECIFIED Felix, Marie-Anne UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Schulenburg, Hinrich UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-275812
DOI:	10.1186/s12915-016-0258-1
Journal or Publication Title:	BMC Biol.
Volume:	14
Date:	2016
Publisher:	BMC
Place of Publication:	LONDON
ISSN:	1741-7007
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language GUT MICROBIOME; BACTERIA; EVOLUTION; LIFE; IDENTIFICATION; RESISTANCE; INFECTION; ALIGNMENT; ANIMALS; PROTEIN Multiple languages Biology Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/27581