Kerby, R. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

Lectin-Seq: a method to profile lectin-microbe interactions in native communities

Soluble human lectins are critical components of innate immunity. Genetic models suggest lectins influence host-resident microbiota, but their specificity for commensal and mutualist species is understudied. Elucidating lectins roles in regulating microbiota requires understanding which microbial species they bind within native communities. To profile human lectin recognition, we developed Lectin-Seq. We apply Lectin-Seq to human fecal microbiota using mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and intelectin-1 (hItln1). The microbial interactomes of MBL and hItln1 differ in composition and diversity. MBL binding is highly selective for a small subset of species commonly associated with humans. In contrast, hItln1s interaction profile encompasses a broad range of lower-abundance species. Thus, human lectins have evolved to recognize distinct species of commensals, suggesting they directly influence microbiome composition. Lectin-Seq offers a new means of annotating microbial communities. One-Sentence SummarySoluble human lectins bind distinct bacterial species in fecal microbiota.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2018

Social relationships, social isolation, and the human gut microbiota

Social relationships shape human health and mortality via behavioral, psychosocial, and physiological mechanisms, including inflammatory and immune responses. Though not tested in human studies, recent primate studies indicate that the gut microbiome may also be a biological mechanism linking relationships to health. Integrating microbiota data into the 60-year-old Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we found that socialness with family and friends is associated with differences in the human fecal microbiota. Analysis of spouse (N = 94) and sibling pairs (N = 83) further revealed that spouses have more similar microbiota and more bacterial taxa in common than siblings, with no observed differences between sibling and unrelated pairs. These differences held even after accounting for dietary factors. The differences between unrelated individuals and married couples was driven entirely by couples who reported close relationships; there were no differences in similarity between couples reporting somewhat close relationships and unrelated individuals. Moreover, the microbiota of married individuals, compared to those living alone, has greater diversity and richness, with the greatest diversity among couples reporting close relationships, which is notable given decades of research documenting the health benefits of marriage. These results suggest that human interactions, especially sustained, close marital relationships, influence the gut microbiota.

microbiology↗