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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2024
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Immunology and Microbiology
First Advisor
Jeffrey H. Withey
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae colonizes the upper small intestine in humans and causes cholera, an acute diarrheal disease spread via the fecal-oral route. Pandemic strains of V. cholerae can be divided into two biotypes: classical and El Tor. Zebrafish adults and larvae can be infected with cholera via immersion, and they maintain a complex gut microbiome throughout infection. El Tor is able to persist in its host for an extended period of time, and it is unclear how the gut microbiome is affected during infection. Long-term colonization may impact components of the gut-brain axis involved in zebrafish behavior. We aimed to characterize the zebrafish gut microbiome structure, and we assessed larval behavior during El Tor infection. We report that the adult zebrafish gut microbiome is significantly more diverse after El Tor colonization suggesting that the interplay among commensals and El Tor allows for long-term colonization. Larvae consistently cleared a Classical infection within 3-4 weeks, but the more persistent El Tor infection suggests the need for a matured immune system. Additionally, when larvae are infected with El Tor, movement is dampened in response to an auditory stimulus, but not a visual stimulus, suggesting a differential response in the gut-brain axis. There is a biotype-specific response that induces significant changes in zebrafish gut microbiome structure and larval behavior, and our established colonization and behavioral models can be used to further assess host-microbe interactions.
Recommended Citation
Cubillejo, Isabella Maria, "Zebrafish Gut Microbiome Structure And Swim Behavior After Vibrio Cholerae Colonization" (2024). Wayne State University Dissertations. 4114.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/4114