Biology subjects

Mortensen, M. S.

Publications and source records attributed to Mortensen, M. S..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

A defined microbial community remodels host metabolism and pathogen resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans

The microbiome is an important regulator of metabolism and health, yet the mechanisms by which microbial communities influence host physiological state remain incompletely understood. Here we used a defined host-microbiota model consisting of Caenorhabditis elegans and an 11-member bacterial consortium representative of its natural microbiota (DefNatMta). We investigated how this native microbial community influences host metabolism and physiology relative to the standard laboratory diet, E. coli OP50. Transcriptomic analyses revealed remodelling of host pathways associated with lipid metabolism, immunity and xenobiotic detoxification. Comparison with fasting-responsive transcriptional programmes showed that the DefNatMta response is distinct from fasting or caloric restriction. DefNatMta enhanced resistance to Staphylococcus aureus infection, and this protective effect was consistent with roles for the conserved host defence regulators PMK-1/p38 MAPK and HLH-30/TFEB. Additionally, DefNatMta reduced lipid accumulation, modified expression of lipid metabolism genes, and altered fatty acid composition, including enrichment of monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Together, these findings demonstrate that a defined microbial community can induce transcriptional, metabolic and physiological remodelling in the host. Our results are consistent with microbial communities shaping host metabolic state and immune competence.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Stability of the vaginal microbiota during pregnancy and its importance for early infant colonization

Early life microbiota has been linked to the development of chronic inflammatory diseases. It has been hypothesized that maternal vaginal microbiota is an important initial seeding source and therefore can have lifelong effects on disease risk. To understand maternal vaginal microbiotas role in seeding the childs microbiota and the extent of delivery mode-dependent transmission, we studied 700 mother-child dyads from the COPSAC2010 cohort. The maternal vaginal microbiota was evaluated in the third trimester and compared with the childrens fecal and airway microbiota. The vaginal samples displayed known stable community state types and only 1:6 changed over time. Only one OTU was significantly transferred to childrens fecal compartment, but an inflated number had positive transfer odds. A few taxonomic families showed early transfer enrichment to vaginally-born children, indicating vertical transfer, while half of the observed transfer effects were delivery mode independent enrichment with attenuating strength over time, indicating a common reservoir.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

The microbiome of captive hamadryas baboon

Hamadryas baboon is a highly social primate that lives in complex multilevel societies exhibiting a wide range of group behaviors akin to humans. Here, we report the comprehensive 16s rRNA gene analyses of group-living baboon microbiota across different body sites. Additionally, we compared the baboon and human microbiome of the oral cavity, gut and vagina. Our analyses show that the baboon microbiome is distinct from the human and baboon cohabitants share similar microbial profiles in multiple body sites. The oral, gut and vagina shared more bacterial ASVs in group-living baboons than in humans. The shared ASVs in baboons had significantly positive correlations, suggesting a potential bacterial exchange throughout the body. No significant differences in baboon gut microbiome composition within the maternity line and between maternity lines were detected, suggesting that the offspring acquire their gut microbiota primarily through bacterial exchange among cohabitants. Besides, Lactobacillus was not so predominant in baboon vagina as in the human vagina but was the most abundant genus in baboon gut. These data and findings can form the basis of future microbiome studies in baboons and be used as a reference to research where the microbiome is expected to impact human modeling with baboons.

microbiology↗