Protocol to colonize gnotobiotic mice in early life and assess the impact on early life immune programming

Miriam A Lynn; Feargal J Ryan; Yee Chern Tee; David J Lynn

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101914

Protocol to colonize gnotobiotic mice in early life and assess the impact on early life immune programming

STAR Protoc. 2022 Dec 16;3(4):101914. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101914. Epub 2022 Dec 9.

Authors

Miriam A Lynn¹, Feargal J Ryan², Yee Chern Tee², David J Lynn³

Affiliations

¹ Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia; Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia. Electronic address: miriam.lynn@sahmri.com.
² Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia; Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
³ Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia; Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia. Electronic address: david.lynn@sahmri.com.

Abstract

Understanding how changes in gut microbiota in early life impact immune programming can be difficult to study due to variations in the assembly of the microbiota. In this protocol, we describe how to colonize gnotobiotic/germ-free mice in early life with different microbiota community types (e.g., PAMI and PAMII). We detail several assays to determine whether differential colonization alters immune programming in early life. We also describe how to propagate mouse fecal microbiota transplant material if the donor fecal sample is limited. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Lynn et al. (2021).¹.

Keywords: Immunology; Microbiology; Model Organisms; Molecular Biology.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Feces
Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
Germ-Free Life
Mice
Microbiota*