Mobile genetic elements from the maternal microbiome shape infant gut microbial assembly and metabolism

Study information

Needs review

study design

time series / longitudinal observational

Citation

PMID PubMed identifier for scientific articles.

36563663

DOI Digital object identifier for electronic documents.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.023

URI

Authors

Vatanen T, Jabbar KS, Ruohtula T, Honkanen J, Avila-Pacheco J, Siljander H, Stražar M, Oikarinen S, Hyöty H, Ilonen J, Mitchell CM, Yassour M, Virtanen SM, Clish CB, Plichta DR, Vlamakis H, Knip M, Xavier RJ

Journal

Cell

Year

2022

Keywords:

gut metabolome, horizontal gene transfer, infant gut microbiome, mother-to-infant microbiome transmission

The perinatal period represents a critical window for cognitive and immune system development, promoted by maternal and infant gut microbiomes and their metabolites. Here, we tracked the co-development of microbiomes and metabolomes from late pregnancy to 1 year of age using longitudinal multi-omics data from a cohort of 70 mother-infant dyads. We discovered large-scale mother-to-infant interspecies transfer of mobile genetic elements, frequently involving genes associated with diet-related adaptations. Infant gut metabolomes were less diverse than maternal but featured hundreds of unique metabolites and microbe-metabolite associations not detected in mothers. Metabolomes and serum cytokine signatures of infants who received regular-but not extensively hydrolyzed-formula were distinct from those of exclusively breastfed infants. Taken together, our integrative analysis expands the concept of vertical transmission of the gut microbiome and provides original insights into the development of maternal and infant microbiomes and metabolomes during late pregnancy and early life.