Microbiome complexity shapes metabolism

Abstract

Equipped with a novel isolator-housed metabolic cage system, a study in PLOS Biology assessed how the metabolism of mice harboring a defined minimal microbial community (OligoMM12) differs from that of germ-free and conventionally colonized mice. How does the metabolism of mice with a minimal microbial community compare to that of germ-free and conventionally colonized mice? This Primer explores a study in PLOS Biology which uses a novel isolator-housed metabolic cage system to find out.