Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype
Abstract Conventional laboratory mice housed under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions are the standard model in biomedical research. However, in recent years, many rodent-based studies have been deemed irreproducible, raising questions about the suitability of mice as model organisms. Emerging...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60554-2 |
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| author | Solveig Runge Silvia von Zedtwitz Alexander M. Maucher Philipp Bruno Lisa Osbelt Bei Zhao Anne M. Gernand Till R. Lesker Katja Gräwe Manuel Rogg Christoph Schell Melanie Boerries Till Strowig Geoffroy Andrieux Benedikt Hild Stephan P. Rosshart |
| author_facet | Solveig Runge Silvia von Zedtwitz Alexander M. Maucher Philipp Bruno Lisa Osbelt Bei Zhao Anne M. Gernand Till R. Lesker Katja Gräwe Manuel Rogg Christoph Schell Melanie Boerries Till Strowig Geoffroy Andrieux Benedikt Hild Stephan P. Rosshart |
| author_sort | Solveig Runge |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Conventional laboratory mice housed under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions are the standard model in biomedical research. However, in recent years, many rodent-based studies have been deemed irreproducible, raising questions about the suitability of mice as model organisms. Emerging evidence indicates that variability in SPF microbiota plays a significant role in data inconsistencies across laboratories. Although efforts have been made to standardize microbiota, existing microbial consortia lack the complexity and resilience necessary to replicate interactions in free-living mammals. We present a robust, feasible and standardizable approach for transplanting natural gut microbiota from wildlings into laboratory mice. Following engraftment, these TXwildlings adopt a structural and functional wildling-like microbiota and host physiology toward a more mature immune system, with characteristics similar to those of adult humans. We anticipate that adopting wild mouse-derived microbiota as standard for laboratory mouse models will improve the reproducibility and generalizability of basic and preclinical biomedical research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-84928e2da09e4d519a4cfed9c90f7ed8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-84928e2da09e4d519a4cfed9c90f7ed82025-08-20T02:06:36ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-06-0116111410.1038/s41467-025-60554-2Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotypeSolveig Runge0Silvia von Zedtwitz1Alexander M. Maucher2Philipp Bruno3Lisa Osbelt4Bei Zhao5Anne M. Gernand6Till R. Lesker7Katja Gräwe8Manuel Rogg9Christoph Schell10Melanie Boerries11Till Strowig12Geoffroy Andrieux13Benedikt Hild14Stephan P. Rosshart15Department of Microbiome Research, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Department of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Microbiome Research, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Department of Microbial Immune Regulation, Helmholtz Center for Infection ResearchDepartment of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Medicine II, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Microbial Immune Regulation, Helmholtz Center for Infection ResearchInstitute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineInstitute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineInstitute of Surgical Pathology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of MedicineInstitute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Microbial Immune Regulation, Helmholtz Center for Infection ResearchInstitute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of FreiburgDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Transplant Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of Microbiome Research, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Abstract Conventional laboratory mice housed under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions are the standard model in biomedical research. However, in recent years, many rodent-based studies have been deemed irreproducible, raising questions about the suitability of mice as model organisms. Emerging evidence indicates that variability in SPF microbiota plays a significant role in data inconsistencies across laboratories. Although efforts have been made to standardize microbiota, existing microbial consortia lack the complexity and resilience necessary to replicate interactions in free-living mammals. We present a robust, feasible and standardizable approach for transplanting natural gut microbiota from wildlings into laboratory mice. Following engraftment, these TXwildlings adopt a structural and functional wildling-like microbiota and host physiology toward a more mature immune system, with characteristics similar to those of adult humans. We anticipate that adopting wild mouse-derived microbiota as standard for laboratory mouse models will improve the reproducibility and generalizability of basic and preclinical biomedical research.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60554-2 |
| spellingShingle | Solveig Runge Silvia von Zedtwitz Alexander M. Maucher Philipp Bruno Lisa Osbelt Bei Zhao Anne M. Gernand Till R. Lesker Katja Gräwe Manuel Rogg Christoph Schell Melanie Boerries Till Strowig Geoffroy Andrieux Benedikt Hild Stephan P. Rosshart Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype Nature Communications |
| title | Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype |
| title_full | Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype |
| title_fullStr | Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype |
| title_full_unstemmed | Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype |
| title_short | Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype |
| title_sort | laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling like phenotype |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60554-2 |
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