%0 Journal Article
%A Runge, Solveig
%A von Zedtwitz, Silvia
%A Maucher, Alexander M
%A Bruno, Philipp
%A Osbelt, Lisa
%A Zhao, Bei
%A Gernand, Anne M
%A Lesker, Till R
%A Gräwe, Katja
%A Rogg, Manuel
%A Schell, Christoph
%A Boerries, Melanie
%A Strowig, Till
%A Andrieux, Geoffroy
%A Hild, Benedikt
%A Rosshart, Stephan P
%T Laboratory mice engrafted with natural gut microbiota possess a wildling-like phenotype.
%J Nature Communications
%V 16
%N 1
%@ 2041-1723
%C [London]
%I Springer Nature
%M DKFZ-2025-01209
%P 5301
%D 2025
%X 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.
%K Animals
%K Gastrointestinal Microbiome: immunology
%K Gastrointestinal Microbiome: physiology
%K Mice
%K Phenotype
%K Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
%K Mice, Inbred C57BL
%K Male
%K Female
%K Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: methods
%K Models, Animal
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%$ pmid:40506454
%R 10.1038/s41467-025-60554-2
%U https://inrepo02.dkfz.de/record/302011