Fig. 3: Attaching bacteria have differing effects on C. elegans fitness and physiology.

a–c Reproductive lifespan of ERT413 colonized with LUAb1, LUAb2, or LUAb3, respectively. Sample size, n, = 60 in 3 independent experiments (N). Error bars show standard deviation (SD) from the mean. Statistical analysis performed by Mantel-Cox test, where ****p < 0.0001 and ns = not significant. d–f Brood size of ERT413 colonized with LUAb1, LUAb2, or LUAb3, respectively, n = 60 in 3 independent experiments. Statistical analyses performed by unpaired two-tailed t-test where ns = not significant, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, and ****p < 0.0001. g–i Representative images for “Smurf” assay testing of intestinal barrier function assay. g Uncolonized C. elegans N2 fed E. coli OP50-1. h C. elegans N2 colonized with LUAb1. i C. elegans colonized with LUAb3. j Quantification of G-I, showing percent of animals that experienced leakage of blue dye from the intestine into the germline and/or body cavity, where N = 3 and n = 87-108. Statistical analyses performed by ordinary one-way ANOVA where ns = not significant and ****p < 0.0001. k Mortal germline (Mrt) phenotype describing the number of generations until sterility at 25°C of wild C. elegans strain JU775 either fed only E. coli OP50-1 (grey), colonized first with LUAb3 and transferred to E. coli OP50-1 (orange), or fed only LUAb3 (brown). Wilcoxon rank tests ***p < 0.001 and ****p < 0.0001 across at least 12 replicates for each of the three conditions.