Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants

Summary: Mobile genetic elements (MGE) are critical yet understudied determinants of gut microbiome composition. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (NCT06030713), we characterized the gut virome and plasmidome in 195 samples from 28 mother–infant dyads delivered by cesarean...

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Main Authors: Asier Fernández-Pato, Trishla Sinha, Sanzhima Garmaeva, Anastasia Gulyaeva, Nataliia Kuzub, Simon Roux, Jingyuan Fu, Alexander Kurilshikov, Alexandra Zhernakova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Cell Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725005029
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author Asier Fernández-Pato
Trishla Sinha
Sanzhima Garmaeva
Anastasia Gulyaeva
Nataliia Kuzub
Simon Roux
Jingyuan Fu
Alexander Kurilshikov
Alexandra Zhernakova
author_facet Asier Fernández-Pato
Trishla Sinha
Sanzhima Garmaeva
Anastasia Gulyaeva
Nataliia Kuzub
Simon Roux
Jingyuan Fu
Alexander Kurilshikov
Alexandra Zhernakova
author_sort Asier Fernández-Pato
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Mobile genetic elements (MGE) are critical yet understudied determinants of gut microbiome composition. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (NCT06030713), we characterized the gut virome and plasmidome in 195 samples from 28 mother–infant dyads delivered by cesarean section. Infant mobilome increases in richness over the first 6 postnatal weeks, demonstrating high individual-specificity and temporal stability, establishing a personal persistent mobilome. Formula-fed infants exhibit greater mobilome richness than breastfed infants, with plasmid composition being influenced by antibiotic exposure and birth weight. Plasmids constitute a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), with around 5% of infant gut plasmid taxonomic units carrying ARG. Notably, ARG profiles do not differ with antibiotic exposure at birth. Mother–infant sharing of viral and plasmid strains primarily occurs after 6 months of age. Overall, our integrative analysis offers insights into the dynamics, modulation, and origin of MGE in the developing gut microbiome.
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issn 2211-1247
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Cell Reports
spelling doaj-art-3020da626c1445a590bb3c6fbb12829a2025-08-20T01:52:26ZengElsevierCell Reports2211-12472025-06-0144611573110.1016/j.celrep.2025.115731Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infantsAsier Fernández-Pato0Trishla Sinha1Sanzhima Garmaeva2Anastasia Gulyaeva3Nataliia Kuzub4Simon Roux5Jingyuan Fu6Alexander Kurilshikov7Alexandra Zhernakova8Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsUS Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USADepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the NetherlandsDepartment of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands; Corresponding authorSummary: Mobile genetic elements (MGE) are critical yet understudied determinants of gut microbiome composition. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (NCT06030713), we characterized the gut virome and plasmidome in 195 samples from 28 mother–infant dyads delivered by cesarean section. Infant mobilome increases in richness over the first 6 postnatal weeks, demonstrating high individual-specificity and temporal stability, establishing a personal persistent mobilome. Formula-fed infants exhibit greater mobilome richness than breastfed infants, with plasmid composition being influenced by antibiotic exposure and birth weight. Plasmids constitute a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), with around 5% of infant gut plasmid taxonomic units carrying ARG. Notably, ARG profiles do not differ with antibiotic exposure at birth. Mother–infant sharing of viral and plasmid strains primarily occurs after 6 months of age. Overall, our integrative analysis offers insights into the dynamics, modulation, and origin of MGE in the developing gut microbiome.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725005029CP: MicrobiologyCP: Genomics
spellingShingle Asier Fernández-Pato
Trishla Sinha
Sanzhima Garmaeva
Anastasia Gulyaeva
Nataliia Kuzub
Simon Roux
Jingyuan Fu
Alexander Kurilshikov
Alexandra Zhernakova
Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants
Cell Reports
CP: Microbiology
CP: Genomics
title Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants
title_full Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants
title_fullStr Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants
title_full_unstemmed Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants
title_short Early-life development of the gut virome and plasmidome: A longitudinal study in cesarean-born infants
title_sort early life development of the gut virome and plasmidome a longitudinal study in cesarean born infants
topic CP: Microbiology
CP: Genomics
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124725005029
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