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The intestinal microbiota in the rat model: major breakthroughs from new technologies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2012

Julie Tomas ,
Philippe Langella  and
Claire Cherbuy
Julie Tomas
Affiliation:
Commensal and Probiotics–Host Interactions Laboratory, INRA, UMR1319 MICALIS, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
Philippe Langella
Affiliation:
Commensal and Probiotics–Host Interactions Laboratory, INRA, UMR1319 MICALIS, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
Claire Cherbuy*
Affiliation:
Commensal and Probiotics–Host Interactions Laboratory, INRA, UMR1319 MICALIS, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: Claire.Cherbuy@jouy.inra.fr
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Abstract

The mammalian intestine harbors a large and diverse community of micro-organisms, known as the intestinal microbiota. Recent developments in molecular profiling methods, mainly based on microbial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, have provided unprecedented insights into the make-up and diversity of intestinal microbial communities. Using these culture-independent analyses, gut microbiota of several mammals including laboratory rodents, have been revisited. The laboratory rat is one of the major species bred and kept for scientific research. Although this animal is bred in confined environments and subjected to procedures for satisfying health requirements that hamper natural colonization, some major features of mammalian gut microbiota are conserved. However, the gut microbiota varies according to the breeding conditions of the rats and this could impact reproducibility of the experimental models. Determining the non-pathogenic microbial community might be relevant in standards of quality control of laboratory animals. Molecular profiling techniques could be applied to document this information.

Keywords

16S rRNA gene sequencingBacteroidetesFirmicutesProteobacteriadiversityaltered schaedler floraantimicrobialsdiet
Type
Review Article
Information
Animal Health Research Reviews , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , June 2012 , pp. 54 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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