Author:
Gooch Harriet C.C.,Labedan Marjorie,Hall Lindsay J.,Maxwell Anthony
Abstract
Abstract
Objective
Study of the human infant gut microbiome requires the use of surrogate mammalian species such as mice. We sought to investigate the usefulness of the greater wax moth larva, Galleria mellonella, as an alternative.
Results
We have analysed the native gut microbiome of Galleria and developed methods for clearing the native microbiome and introducing species from human infant faecal samples. We find that some species, e.g. enterococci, are more successful at recolonisation, but that others, e.g. Bifidobacterium, are less so. The work paves the way for using Galleria rather than mice in this and similar work.
Funder
National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC