Fig. 4: The microbiota of PepT1^−/− and PepT1^+/+ true littermates does not differentially protect against DSS-induced colitis.

a Breeding and housing scheme of WT and PepT1^−/− mouse experimental design. b, c Principal component analysis (PCA) of the weighted UniFrac distance matrix of fecal microbiota from re-WT (red) and re-PepT1^−/− (blue) mice at weaning (b) and 8 weeks post weaning (c). d–g Colitis was induced in F1 re-WT and re-PepT1^−/− littermates at 9 weeks post weaning by supplying 2% DSS in the drinking water. Mice were euthanized after 7 days of DSS (n = 4–7 mice/group). d Body weights during the DSS-treatment period. e Colon weight/colon length ratio. f Spleen weight. g MPO activity in the distal colon. Significance was determined by one-way ANOVA followed by a Bonferroni post-hoc test (*P < 0.05; **P < 0.01); h–l Three-week-old female GF C57BL/6 mice were conventionalized via microbiota transplant from a pool of three re-WT or re-PepT1^−/− donor mice. Colitis was induced at D42 post transplantation by supplying 2% DSS in the drinking water. Mice were euthanized at D49 post transplantation (n = 5 mice/group). h Scheme of the experimental design. i Principal component analysis (PCA) of the weighted UniFrac distance matrix of fecal microbiota from re-WT (red) and re-PepT1^−/− (blue) microbiota recipient mice at D42 post-transplant. j Body weights of conventionalized mice from transplant to euthanasia at D49. k Colon weight/colon length ratio. l Spleen weight. Significance was determined by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t test (n.s. non-significant). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM.