Meeting Abstract

P2.115  Sunday, Jan. 5 15:30  Prolonged fasting and starvation alter gut microbial communities: a comparative study of host animals from five vertebrate classes KOHL, K.D.*; AMAYA, J.; DEARING, M.D.; MCCUE, M.D.; Univ. of Utah; St. Mary’s Univ.; Univ. of Utah; St. Mary’s Univ. kkohl78@gmail.com

The number of microbial cells in the guts of animals is often greater than that of the host animal. In nourished animals these microbial communities may function like an organ and provide services including protection from pathogens, production of essential vitamins, degradation of toxic substances, digestion of refractory compounds, and regulation of gastrointestinal motility. Changes in the macronutrient composition of the diet are well known to influence microbial community structure, but little is known about how the microbiome responds to starvation – a situation where the microbes encounter diminished nutrient and habitat resources and increased interspecific competition. We documented the sequential changes in the colonic microbiomes at four predetermined time points from animals representing five classes of vertebrates fasting for different periods: tilapia (21 d), toads (21 d), leopard gecko (21 d), quail (6 d), and mice (3 d). Microbial 16S rRNA genes were amplified and sequenced; QIIME was used to analyze changes in the relative abundances of major taxa and several measures of biodiversity within the microbial communities. We found differences in the starvation-induced changes in the microbiome among the different species. Preliminary results indicate a rapid change in the microbial community following fasting, with subtle changes occurring through prolonged starvation. For example, after one day of fasting, mice exhibited an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, and a decrease in the abundance of Firmicutes and Tenericutes. This study demonstrates that short-term food restriction can alter microbial communities, and perhaps the services they provide to their hosts.